Lullaby of a Dragon
by Mysticalsoul
Summary: Something happens in potions, and Harry is turned into a child. Draco has no choice but to take care of him, and everyday Harry gains one year, changing his mind, his outward appearance and his soul. Chap.9 Updated! Harry/Draco SLASH! R/R PLEASE!
1. Longbottom, You Idiot!

**Title: **Lullaby of a Dragon

**Author Name: **Dorothy

**Email:** Enchanted_presence@yahoo.com

**Summary: **Something happens in potions, and Harry is turned into a child.  While people are trying to figure out a cure, Harry ends up clinging to Draco Malfoy for some reason, and everyday he gains one year, changing his mind, his outward appearance and his soul.

**Rating: **Probably PG-13.

**Disclaimer: **As much as I wish Harry Potter were mine, it is not.  It belongs to the one and only, JK Rowling.

**Warning: **Slash!  

**Pairing: **Harry and Draco, always and forever!

**Category:  **Humor/Angst/Romance.  

**Main Characters:** Harry and Draco.

**Notes: **Slash story, dedicated to Stephanie.  Also, Jenna, Thankyou **So** much for helping me out.

**Chapter One:  Longbottom, You Idiot!**

Harry stared at the Potion's master as he started to set them into groups, three people in each.  When he reached Harry's name, he said with a sneer, "Potter, Longbottom, and Malfoy.  First row, _please_." He gave one last look at them before he had gone on calling out other names.

Working with Malfoy was a problem, but working with Malfoy _and_ Neville?  _Destruction seemed inevitable, _Harry thought in the back of his mind as he and Neville stood up to move to the Slytherin side of the room.  Draco greeted them with a smirk, as he made little room for the Gryffindors, eyeing Harry with a gleam in his eye.

"What potion are we going to make, Harry?" Neville asked, as he sat as far away from the Slytherin as possible, leaving Harry the seat beside Draco.

"Weren't you listening Fatbottom?"  Draco sneered as he leaned closer, examining the ingredients to put in the potion.  Neville blushed bright red and looked down at his lap when Harry cut in to his defense, "Sod off Malfoy," he turned to Neville and gave him a small smile. "Don't mind him, Neville, he's just being a wanker, nothing new."  

There was a slight pink twinge in Draco's cheeks and he was about to answer with an insult of his own when Professor Snape appeared in front of them with a menacing glare.  "Get to work, all of you." He looked directly at Malfoy as he said this, then he swept away with his black robe fluttering behind him. 

They started to work in silence, aware of the near quiet classroom and muttered whispers of group cooperation.  While Harry cut up the roots, Draco squashed the beetle eyes, they gave Neville the pleasure of stirring the potion, and both thinking it would be the simplest task.

"Potter, he said _half_ of one inch, not one inch and a _half_." Draco stopped squashing the beetle eyes and glared at Harry in exasperation.  

"No he did not, it says in the book that it is one inch _and a half_." Harry stopped chopping the roots and banged the knife into the cutting board angrily.  Neither boy noticed Neville flinch and start to stir the potion counter clockwise absently.

"We are listening to _him_ and not the _book_, Potter.  Honestly, you can't even pay attention!"

Harry glared at him, scowling, "Yes I can pay attention!  He said that when we get to the roots, we pay attention to the _book_, therefore the potion won't be that strong when we test it out."  He stuck his tongue out at Draco immaturely, then instantly regretted that he did that.  An inner voice mocked, _What did you just do, Harry?  You just stuck out your tongue.  _He stared at Draco in mortification.

Draco just sneered and said, "You are such a child, Potter, honestly!" He dumped the beetle eyes in the blue potion, the cauldron exhaled with a loud hiss that made the three of them jump.  Neville jumped a meter and nearly tipped the dark cauldron over, but Harry stopped it on time with his seeker reflexes.

"Longbottom, you idiot!  You could have ruined the potion!  Snape just _had_ to put you in my group, didn't he?" Draco wretched the stirring spoon away from Neville and pointed Neville to his seat he was just sitting in.  

"Now, which way did you stir the potion?  Snape said that you have to stir it in one direction only…" Draco trailed off as he looked at Neville, whose blood was suddenly draining from his face.

"Neville?  Which… way did you start stirring the potion?" Harry asked, noticing that Neville was looking at him in a panicked way, biting his bottom lip.  

"Er, clockwise, Harry," he said, still looking a bit nervous.  Draco looked at him suspiciously and started stirring clockwise.  After about twenty minutes, Neville added Harry's chopped roots, causing the potion to hiss at them again.

"Time's up.  Put them all in flasks, and I will call out the names that will test them." Professor Snape grinned evilly as everyone looked at him.  He started calling names off the roll, "Patil, Weasley, Thomas, Potter, Zabini and Crabbe."  

Draco and Neville looked instantly relieved, and while Neville gave Harry a sympathetic look, Draco just smirked and took some of the liquid out of the cauldron, passing it to Harry.  "Drink up Potter." He said rather joyfully, happy that he didn't have to test it.  Harry watched as Ron took it, and he didn't change a bit.  He watched as Blaise took it, and he just gave a sour face, but didn't change a bit.

He lifted the cup to his lips, and slowly drank the liquid.  He could instantly feel a burning feeling in his throat and choked a little, but managed to get everything down.  He felt normal for a while, and his partners were looking at him apprehensively.  

"It worked.  Good, I didn't want Snape to take off points for your intelligence, Longbottom." Draco looked at Neville and started packing away the ingredients from the Invisibility potion, organizing them for the next class.

"Sod off Malfoy and leave Neville alone." Harry said, before he doubled over, closing his eyes painfully at the way of nausea.  He felt sharp, painful twinges in his sides, his upper arms and legs.  

"H-Harry?"  Neville asked nervously, kneeling down beside him.  Neville looked around to see no one else having similar problems; instead they were all looking at the green-eyed-boy.  

"I-I can't…" Harry gasped, "I can't breath…" he clutched his stomach as he let an agonizing moan escape his lips, as Professor Snape appeared at his side.  He looked at Neville and Draco dangerously.  "Malfoy! Longbottom, what happened?"

Draco pointed instantly to Neville. "Longbottom did it."  Neville's face turned white as he looked at Draco.  

"Longbottom, you idiot boy!" Snape was about to begin a long diatribe against the poor Gryffindor but looked back at Harry who was writhing on the floor from the pain.  They all watched helplessly as Harry began to shrink slowly, his eyes closed painfully and his mouth opened in a silent scream.

While Harry shrank, his clothes did not.  Snape immediately snapped an order, "Everyone, move back." He gave them all a menacing glare before he went back to staring at Harry, who had seemingly disappeared.   

They all watched Harry's robes, because there was no Harry to look at only a small lump in the middle that was covered in Harry's black robes.  They watched, perplexed, as the lump moved slowly at the top, then the whole thing moved, and they heard a small cry.  

Hermione and Ron bent down instantly and started to rummage through the Gryffindor's robes, and Snape didn't stop them.  Instead, he looked abnormally calm as he went back to his storeroom, muttering a book's name as he went. Hermione took the last part of the robes off so they could all see what that lump was, and the whole class gasped at what they saw.

A little baby, probably around two years old was staring up at her, silently crying with his fingers in his mouth.  To everyone's shock, the boy was that he had black hair, bright green eyes, and a scar on his forehead.  He was wrapped in boxers obviously fit for adults, and his shirt was ridiculously oversized.  Hermione let out a choked sob as she picked up the baby carefully, holding him out at arms length.  The boy's boxers dropped to the floor, but the shirt remained on him.  The black haired boy's bottom lip started to tremble, right before he let out a wail.

Hermione's eyes went wide and she looked around for Professor Snape.  She sat the baby on the floor, and the baby instantly stopped crying, but continued to sniffle pitifully as he looked around.  Ron looked at Hermione worriedly and started to pick up the baby, when he started to cry again, resulting in another hasty return to the pile of clothes.  Long, pitiful wails came from his mouth as hot tears streamed down his cheeks as he sat huddled in the oversized robes.

"Potter is a noisy one, isn't he?" Draco sneered as he covered his ears and stared at the baby.  At the sound of Draco's voice, the baby stopped crying and turned around, looking at him with big puppy eyes.  He got up on his feet a bit unstable and held out his arms to Draco, stepping on the oversized shirt.

Draco took a step back immediately, looking at the child.  His jaw dropped open when the little boy spoke.

"Draco! Draco, Draco, Draco!" The boy clapped his hands before stretching them out to the blonde Slytherin.  The whole class stared at the boy as he ran up to him and hugged him around his knee, grinning up widely at him.  Draco was in too shocked to move.  

"Weasley! Get Potter _away_ from me!" He yelled as he moved back a step, causing the child to fall forward on his hands and knees.  He instantly regretted it, because Harry started crying, long, hot tears streaming down his face as he looked up at Draco.  He didn't scream, he didn't yell, but he just silently cried up at him.  

Pansy nudged Draco in his side, "Draco, pick him up!"  Draco stared at her in disbelief before Millicent said something. "Come on Malfoy, I don't want to hear any more crying today, just pick the damned kid up!"

"Don't you dare touch him, Malfoy!" Ron yelled as he picked up Harry under his arms, even thoughHarry started to cry loudly as soon as Ron did that. Ron held him tightly anyway, and that's when Snape came back with a big black book.  He flipped through it as Harry started screaming, kicking his small legs against Ron.  Finally, Ron just let him down as Harry continued to sob.

"Class dismissed, Weasley, Granger, Longbottom and Malfoy, follow me." Snape said as he closed the book.  "Pick up the child, Granger." He said, unaware that Hermione had tried that earlier, but brave as always, Hermione picked up Harry cautiously.  Harry continued to cry loudly, but he didn't kick Hermione as the class filed out.  As they all left the classroom, Malfoy shuffling behind, Harry continued to cry and wail loudly, while passing students were looked at him with curiosity.

They all stopped in front of Dumbledore's office, allowing Snape to utter the password before proceeding up the stairs.

Neville looked like he was going to be sick, his face was white and his hands clenched at his sides.  While Ron and Hermione looked worried, Malfoy looked seemingly bored at the whole situation.

Snape didn't say a word as he knocked on the Headmaster's door, but he went in when Dumbledore called out, "Come in!"

All of them assembled in the room, Draco closing the door behind him.  Dumbledore was looking at the crying, naked baby in interest, and his eyes went from the scared looking Neville to Ron, to Hermione then finally rested on Draco for a moment.  He raised his eyebrows at Snape. "Can I help you, Severus?" he asked calmly, a twinkle in his own eyes sparkling.

Snape walked forward slowly and opened the black book, his gaze unwavering as he laid it in front of Dumbledore.  The potion's master, when Harry let out a long wail, causing even Dumbledore to wince.

"Can't you keep that child quiet, Ms. Granger, for at least five minutes?" he barked, unaware of Hermione's failed attempts and her already soaked shoulder.

"I-I'm trying, Professor…" she said as she held Harry tighter, unaware that he was slowly slipping from her grasp.

Malfoy was watching this whole thing, and out of exasperation, he grabbed Harry from her almost forcefully and held him away at arm's length.  "Good Lord, Granger, you could have dropped him."

He stared at her while she and the other two Gryffindors stared back at him along with Professor Snape and Headmaster Dumbledore.  They stared even more as Draco held him the proper way against his chest, and all of their jaws dropped when Harry stopped crying, but started to sniffle quietly and wrapped his small toddler arms around Draco's neck.  Even Draco looked surprised at this.

"Well," said Dumbledore, peering over his spectacles, "Everything seems to be in order I believe.  We will just have to wait," he paused and looked at Draco and Neville, "Do tell me, boys, how many beetle eyes did you eventually crush for this potion?"

Draco and Neville looked at each other before Draco spoke, "Fifteen, s-."

"So, he would have to be two years old, Headmaster."  Snape interrupted the blonde haired boy.  Professor Snape looked at the child in Draco's arms and scowled, before he turned to glare at Neville.  "For this, Longbottom, 50 points will be taken-,"

Dumbledore interrupted, a twinkle shimmering in his eye, "Oh really, Severus.  I think Mr. Longbottom _deserves_ house points."

"_Deserves, _Headmaster?" Snape gawked at him.

"Why yes, don't you agree that maybe Mr. Longbottom intended this, Severus?  That is what being Gryffindors are all about, taking risks.  I award Mr. Longbottom ten points for completing the aging potion."  Dumbledore smiled at Neville, who's face looked instantly relieved, but somewhat skeptical.    

Neither Snape nor Draco could speak; they just stared in astonishment at the headmaster. They only began collecting their thoughts again when they heard Hermione speak cautiously.

"Um, E-excuse me, Professor Dumbledore… but what exactly happened?"  She asked, looking between the now-sleeping Harry, Malfoy and Professor Snape.

Dumbledore smiled warmly and spoke calmly, "Why Ms. Granger, young Mr. Potter here has taken an aging potion. Very hard to make, which is why Mr. Longbottom received house points."

"But-!" Ron sputtered, "Why is he not crying for Malfoy? Is there a way to fix this? Why the _hell_ is he clinging to Mal-," he babbled on, but Snape interrupted.

"Mr. Weasley, three points will be deducted for your mouth. The reason he is not wailing inconsiderably for Mr. Malfoy is because the effect is part of the potion. The victim," he indicated to Harry, "picks one person in the selected area, in this case, it is Mr. Malfoy."

"What do you mean he _picked_ me, Professor?"  Draco stared in mortification at Professor Snape.  

"I meant, that you are now his… caretaker, Mr. Malfoy. While he is still a child, he will cry when anyone else touches him. He will not trust anyone else as he grows and matures and instead, he will see that you as his role model." Snape's black eyes gleamed maliciously as he tried to arrange his smirk into a frown.

Ron, Hermione, Neville and Draco spoke at once.  

"_Malfoy_ will be his _role model?_" Hermione cried, staring at Draco and Harry. She watched as Harry moved a bit, but stayed asleep on Draco's shoulder.

At the same time, Ron exclaimed, "He will be his _caretaker_?! How about us?!" 

Draco, on the other hand, seemed rather angry also, but kept his temper as he calmly asked, "And how long will this be?"

And lastly, Neville's shocked voice could be heard amidst their yells and shouts. "Ten points? I received ten points?" 

Snape blinked at their outbursts and was about to tell them all off, seeming miserably irritated at Neville, when Dumbledore cut in.  "Please, everyone, sit down." And he indicated to the chairs before him.  Ron let Hermione sit down, so that he, Neville and Professor Snape were left standing as Draco took the other chair, Harry's weight now tiring his arms. 

"Now, lets all handle this like mature adults." He smiled warmly at all of them, and addressed Hermione first, as her audible outburst earlier seemed loudest. 

"Ms. Granger, it is part of the potion. Therefore, Mr. Potter will automatically think Mr. Malfoy is his caretaker. It's the same thing that happens when a chick sees the first living in front of her. She doesn't care what the thing is, but simply takes it as her mother and follows it around." He smiled warmly at her before turning to Ron.

"Mr. Weasley, you may also assist Mr. Malfoy in this… project, call it that if you will. Both you and Ms. Granger, I doubt Mr. Malfoy can pull this off on his own."

He turned to Draco now, his smile becoming wider. "Mr. Malfoy, do not think of this as a burden. You should be well pleased by this; for one thing, Mr. Potter picked _you_ out of a class of 25. For another thing, responsibility is your friend seeing that you did make Head boy this year. I do trust you will do this well." He smiled warily at him while Draco stared open mouthed at him, unaware that Harry had started to drool on his robes. He continued, "Since you have added fifteen beetle eyes, this will only last fifteen days. Each day, young Mr. Potter will age one year… this might seem a bit confusing at first, but you should get it in no time. At this point, Harry is only two years old. Tomorrow, he will look three, act three, and be three. He will vaguely remember what happened each day, but as he grows older, he gains long-term memory. If you do need any help, please feel free to go to any teachers, and Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger will help you with any necessities."

His eyes glinting with sparkling mirth, he turned to Neville.  "Yes, Mr. Longbottom.  Ten points."  

He looked at all of them before his expression turned serious, but with the gleaming twinkle still in his eyes.

"Fifteen days?  Fifteen?"  Draco spoke quietly, still disbelieving that this was bestowed upon him.  Dumbledore nodded.  "I do think that the Ravenclaw VS Slytherin match is this weekend, isn't it Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco nodded, and managed to croak out, "This Sunday, Headmaster."

Dumbledore seemed pensive for a moment before he spoke, "Harry will four years old then."

The whole room remained silent as they watched Dumbledore's expression. They watched his old, white eyebrows narrow for a bit in thought before he leaned back and smiled.

Draco felt Harry shiver against him and absently held him tighter, finally realizing that Harry was shivering from the cold because he only had a loose shirt on him. The new caretaker stared down at the sleeping boy.

"Eugh! He drooled on my robes!"  Draco cringed as he pulled Harry's mouth away from his shoulder slowly, hoping not to wake the sleeping child.  He watched as a long trail of saliva left Harry's mouth and dripped down the front of his robes. His features settled into a vaguely disgusted expression.

He looked at Dumbledore with a sour face while still holding the sleeping child, "And there is no cure for this?  None at all?" he whined, a visible vein throbbing in his neck.

"Sorry Mr. Malfoy, but no, there is none."  Dumbledore smiled warily at him.

"My father will hear about-," but he was cut off my Snape.  "No, your father will _not_ hear about this, Draco."

They shared a knowing glance, and Draco knew he was trapped. He closed his eyes for a minute as he grinded his teeth.

Nodding with his eyes still closed, he stood up and exhaled a deep, long, breath.  He opened his eyes slowly and noticed everyone looking at him.  He turned to Headmaster Dumbledore and nodded.  

"The necessary things will be sent to your room, Mr. Malfoy, including clothes, an extra bed, and when Harry turns eleven in nine days, his school supplies.  I assume you _do_ know how to dress a child, Mr. Malfoy?"  Dumbledore's face softened at the look at Draco's face.  Draco just nodded curtly, not trusting himself to speak.  

Dumbledore clapped his hands together, signaling that the meeting was over. He dismissed the students, but kept Severus in his office as they descended the stairs one by one.

Draco was about to turn and go off to his rooms when Ron stopped him by grabbing him on the shoulder roughly**.**  Draco shrugged him off. "Where do the _hell_ do you think you are going, Malfoy?" Ron spat, and reaching out to take Harry but stopping when he remembered that he would probably wake Harry up.

"I, Weasley, am going to take him to my rooms so I can put some damned clothes on him.  He's shivering."  He smirked at Ron's reddening face and held Harry tighter against him, one arm under his butt cheeks while the other on his back.  

"Well, I'm coming with you then!  Dumbledore said we were to help!"  Ron grumbled, and Hermione nodded.  

Draco just shrugged.  "Fine with me, Weasley."  He thought of shooting a snide remark, but the weight of Harry in his arms cooled his temper considerably.

The three of them headed toward Draco's rooms while Neville escaped to Dinner. Since Draco was head boy, he had his own room, located in the depth of the Slytherin dungeons. He ignored Hermione's and Ron's loud whispers as they went deeper and deeper down the dungeons before finally stopping in front of a blank wall with a long slash down the middle that looked alarmingly like blood. His arms tightened around Harry almost protectively as he leaned forward and whispered the password

The wall shook for a moment before parting with a silent crack. Draco smirked as he saw Hermione and Ron's bewildered stare, stepping in to allow them to follow him into the cool dungeon air.

Draco felt Harry shiver against him again while also managing to let out a small whimper, and he started to rub his pale hands against Harry's back gently, soothing him while trying to warm him up.  

He was unaware of Hermione and Ron's stares from behind him as they stepped into the empty common room, deserted since everyone was at dinner. He stepped in front of a door, which was the head boy's room.  Turning around, he ordered Hermione, "Granger, get the key out of my pocket and open the door."

Hermione stared at him before asking, "Why didn't you just use magic?"

He rolled his eyes, his arms becoming tired with the strain of holding Harry. "Because, Granger, I don't trust my house mates that much. Honestly, they would have broken in here in a second if I had used magic." He rolled his eyes again and moved his right hip towards her so that she could get the key out his pants**'** pocket.

She hesitantly stepped forward and reached in his pocket quickly, pulling out a gold key. She went to the door and slowly unlocked it, while Draco whispered a password that was also required to open the door. He didn't thank her, but he nodded and let them go in first, wincing a bit at his tingling arms.  

He stepped in after them, kicking the door shut and smiling when both of the teenage Gryffindors jumped at the sound. Ron glared at Draco as the Slytherin stared at the transformed room. There was a small crib next to his desk, and on a new shelf there were diapers and clothes. They were separated into piles, one of them marked "2", the next marked, "3", "4", "5", "6" and so on until the number 11. He figured that it would be one for each of the years Harry would grow.

He stepped forward, though, when he inhaled the scent of sandwiches and hot soup. On his desk, there were four bowls, one smaller than the rest, and a plate full of sandwiches, accompanied by three goblets and what seemed to be a sippy cup!

Hermione and Ron shifted uncomfortably in his room, but he beckoned them to sit on the bed with a tilt of his head. He went to the shelf that held the clothes* and carefully selected a diaper and a long shirt. He then went to the edge of his canopy bed and laid Harry down across from Hermione and Ron, pausing cautiously when he saw Harry move for a second. When he decided that Harry wasn't likely to wake up, he gently lifted the boy's legs, unaware of the Gryffindors' astonished stares as he carefully and softly put on the diaper. He then proceeded to settle the shirt over Harry's head, waking him_._

Harry whimpered a bit, his eyes still closed as he put on a face as if he was about to cry. Draco frantically moved his hands around ineffectively before he picked Harry up again and started to hold him stiffly, not knowing what else to do. His shoulders relaxed when he didn't hear Harry cry and instead felt gentle breathing against his neck. He visibly calmed and put Harry back down gently on his bed, aware of the small smile and the peaceful look on his face. Gently, he reached out and took Harry's chubby little arms in his hands and put them through the small shirt, then did the same with the other. He looked up and saw Hermione and Ron looking at him curiously.

"Where did you learn to do that, Malfoy?" Hermione asked softly, still somewhat perplexed that Malfoy was not griping about the situation he was in, or complaining that he was stuck with such a burden.

"Learn _what_, Granger?" He sneered at her.

"She meant, _Malfoy_, where did you learn to dress a baby?"  Ron chimed in angrily, his face steadily becoming as red as his hair.  Draco arched an eyebrow.

"Are you saying that you two don't know how? Bloody hell, this is elementary!" Draco stared in amazement at the Gryffindors. He picked Harry up again with **in** arms before holding Harry out to Ron.

"Take him, I'm going to take a shower." He said, indicating to his snot and tear stained robes.  When Ron took him, he felt a slight relief from the weight and stretched his arms above his head, shaking him trying to get the tingling feeling off.

He left the stiff Ron and flabbergasted looking Hermione on the bed as he went in his bathroom, but not before getting a new set of robes and clothes.

Stepping into the steaming water, he let the water trickle down into the drain while closing his eyes.

[I cannot believe I have to take care of Potter. What a joke! Honestly, why did he have to pick me? Of all the people there, he had to pick me!] Draco washed his hair as he thought about it, and then he picked up the soap and scrubbed it around his body as he kept on thinking. [Ironic as it is, I cannot believe he picked me. Potter is cute as a baby… not that I would tell Granger or the Weasel that.]

He got out of the shower, though, when he heard a scream, unmistakably Harry's voice. He threw on his clothes in record time and stepped out of the bathroom to see a Ron struggling with Harry, trying to get him to calm down. Draco stopped and surveyed the scene before quickly scooping the crying Harry out of Ron's arms.

"Weasley! I'm gone for 20 minutes* and you can't even hold the baby?" Draco glared at him in an irritable stare.

"Shut up Malfoy!"  Was the only thing Ron could muster, and Hermione was smirking at Ron behind her hand.  

"Well, since he is awake anyway…" he trailed off, looking at the food, unaware that Harry stopped crying the instant Draco held him and was holding him around his neck, sniffling quietly. Draco sighed heavily as he put Harry down, his heart going out to the wide, green-eyed boy.  

He sighed again, "What Potter?"  He said quietly, no malice of any kind as he looked down to Harry.  Harry just stared up at him and smiled, and pointed to the food.  

"You're hungry?" he asked, his lips forming a thin line. Harry nodded and grinned up at him. Harry held up his hand and reached out to hold Draco's, unaware of the tenseness in the Slytherin's fingers. He glanced up when he heard Ron cough, and Hermione kept on staring at him.

"What?!" he barked at them as Harry laced his small fingers through Draco's. 

"Nothing Malfoy, nothing." Ron smirked at him and stood up, going to the Slytherin's desk and grabbing a big sandwich before returning to sit on Malfoy's bed again.

"Don't get any crumbs on the damned comforter, Weasel, it was expensive." Draco drawled absently, looking to see what there was for Harry. He looked at the soup, frowning when he saw it was the wizard's 'Alphabet letters'.

He sat down in his desk chair huffily and pulled Harry on his lap. Picking up the bowl, he set it on the desk so he could reach it better and handed Harry the sippy cup. 

"Potter, Open," he said to Harry as if he was talking to an idiot, holding out the spoon to Harry's mouth. He just watched as Harry stared wide-eyed up at him, sipping the cup quietly.

"Malfoy, he's a child, not a robot." Hermione said crossly as she stood up and picked up a bowl of soup and a plate for a sandwich.

"No shite, Granger," he said while rolling his eyes, not caring if he used profanity in front of a child this time. Harry continued to sip his cup slowly, leaning into Draco's chest, sipping tiredly.

"Come on, Potter, and eat up. I don't want Dumbledore on my back if I don't feed you." Draco said quietly to Harry, and then giving him a small smile* that he hoped* was reassuring.

Harry just stared up at him and removed the cup, opening his mouth slowly so Draco could give him some food. Draco fed Harry bit by bit; aware of his own growing hunger while Harry took forever to eat. By the time he finished eating Harry was a mess again, his white t-shirt covered in orange and brown sauce, his fingers and mouth sticky from his saliva, but all Harry did was grin sweetly at Draco.

Draco looked up when he heard Hermione's voice. "Oh no! Ron, we still haven't done our homework! We need to hurry back!" She jumped up, and pulled Ron's hand.

"Wait! B-but what about Harry? Does Dumbledore actually believe that Malfoy is to take care of him tonight?" He said with a mouthful of sandwich, still munching it. 

"Apparently so, Weasley," drawled Draco, picking Harry up to wash his face in the bathroom.

When Draco left the room, Ron leaned in and whispered to Hermione, "Hermione! Are you serious? Leave Harry here with him?!" 

"Ron, don't be an idiot. You know no one else can take care of him… Malfoy is his 'caretaker'. Besides, everything is set already…" she trailed off as she pointed to the crib and clothes. Ron glared at her.

"Fine then, but if Malfoy kills him, it's your fault you didn't listen to me." He whispered, as he went to the table, grabbing another sandwich to take with him. Hermione just rolled her eyes and turned to the bathroom door as it opened, little Harry walking out behind Draco with a messy shirt, but a joyful smile on his cute little face. His face was clean, she noticed.

"Malfoy, do you mind if we go?  I am also head girl, and I need to do my homework…" she said, as she went to the tray which held the food. "We'll bring this down with us, I'll leave some sandwiches with you, is that fine?"

Draco looked exhaustedly at her and nodded, not saying a word as he sat down on his chair tiredly.  He watched as she took the tray after leaving him several sandwiches, and was heading for the door when she turned around.  "Ron! Come on."  She stared at him, but he was still staring at Draco with venom in his eyes.  "If you dare hurt him, Malfoy, I swear I will cut off your _balls_."  

"Balls!" Harry cried gleefully, clapping his hands.

Draco didn't seem affected by Ron's words, but his lips threatened to quirk into a smile as he heard Harry's exclamation.  He exchanged a glance with Hermione who sighed in exasperation, and finally pulled Ron out the door after she said goodnight to both Draco and Harry.

That left Draco alone with Harry, the Slytherin watching as the small boy smiled back at him before reaching for his sippy cup on the table. He shook his head as he knelt next to Harry's trunk, finally seeing the stack of toys in a small barrel. Laying them beside Harry, he went to his desk and started to work on his homework, after locking the door so that Harry couldn't escape. 

Time passed as he ate and did his homework, the light on his desk illuminating the dark room. About three hours later, at eleven o'clock, he rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly before realizing that he hadn't heard a peep from Harry! He turned around instantly, but his eyes caught Harry sleeping on the floor, the toys all over but the sippy cup standing upright. Harry was shivering slightly as Draco picked him up carefully, not bothering to change him. Harry stirred a bit as Draco laid him on the crib gently, and he opened one eye as he looked at the Slytherin sleepily.

"Shh, Potter…" he started, and he could see Harry's bottom lip trembling* in a prelude to crying. He pulled the small blanket over Harry's waist when he started to shiver and softly began to hum a song his mother had sung to him long ago.

Harry looked up at him with those adorable green eyes, watching him intently as Draco began to hum a bit louder, more bravely as he discovered that Harry was starting to fall back to sleep. He watched, amazed as Harry's eyes closed completely, and his humming softened the longer he looked at Harry. He was aware of Harry's soundless breaths and beautiful smile.

He backed up, getting a warm feeling in his heart as he started picking up the toys, putting his homework up for tomorrow and taking off his clothes, which consisted of only his robes and school attire, and he went to sleep peacefully with only his boxers on, dreaming about the day's events.

**-----TBC-----**

**Next Chapter**:  Harry turns three years old!  Still a toddler, but an adorable one at that, the whole school learns of Harry's condition.  Stay tuned, and all reviews welcome!!! 

I hope you enjoyed this fic, because I really enjoyed writing it.  


	2. Harry Turns Three

**Disclaimer:** As much as I wish I owned something, I don't.  The characters belong to JK Rowling.

**Notes**:  Holy crap!  **34** Reviews last time I checked.  Holy Crap!  Okay.  I think… I think I'm going to sit down.  Holy Crap!

**Chapter Two:** Harry Turns Three

Draco woke up with a start as he glanced around the cold room. Hoping it was just a dream; he took his wand from the side of his bed and whispered, "Lumos." He pointed the wand to the side, and he closed his eyes irritably as he saw a crib there.

[Damn it, it wasn't a dream. Fuck.] he thought as he checked the clock on the nightstand. The red numbers glowed in the dark, reading '7:52 AM'. Draco groaned and was pulling the covers over his head to go back to sleep when he heard a small sound from the direction of the crib. Eyes fluttering open, he moaned loudly as the small sound turned into a hesitant voice.

"D-Draco?" Harry squeaked out, and Draco could hear him turning over in the crib. Draco signed heavily before throwing off the covers, and looking skyward, he mouthed, "Why, Why me?"

Sitting up on his bed, he rubbed his eyes, and stretched again before he opened the curtains. Turning around, he could see Harry looking at him over his crib, smiling toothily at him. The shirt he was wearing now fitting his size exactly, but the brown and orange stains remained. Draco's eyes widened as he looked at Harry, observing the obvious change in the Gryffindor's appearance. 

Harry looked considerably older than yesterday. His long black hair had grown out over his eyes, his two front teeth were missing in his smile, and his green eyes shone with recognition as he looked at Draco.

"Draco! It's morning!" he cried out happily, as Draco took a cautious step nearer. Harry didn't seem to notice, but Draco asked quietly, "Potter, how old are you?"

Harry looked at him and grinned proudly, holding up four fingers as he said, "Three! I'm three years old." Draco let out a breath he was holding and stepped up so that he was right next to Harry. Holding his hand out, he fixed Harry's fingers so that three fingers were raised instead of four. Draco smiled absently at the small child and picked him up, setting him upright on the floor.

"You-you were in my dreams, Draco! You were giving me a piggyback!" He bounced happily around the room, his black hair getting messier by the second. Draco stared in amazement at the amount of energy Harry exhibited at this time of morning. He shook his head as he went to the shelf that supported Harry's clothes* and grabbed the pile marked "3". 

He looked at Harry curiously, before asking, "Do I need to give you a shower or a bath or anything? Or… is that at the end of the day?" 

Harry just looked at him blankly, his bright green eyes raking over Draco's body. "Later. I don't want to take a bath. Yuck." He stuck out his tongue as Draco sighed and motioned with his hand for Harry to come to him. Harry darted forward with a skip in his step.

"Hold up your arms, Potter. Help me put this on you," he said to Harry, his lips thinning into a line in irritation as Harry started to spin around. Harry stopped when he saw the seriousness in Draco's face and raised his arms, letting Draco take off his messy shirt and throw it in the hamper. He stood quietly as Draco put a red light shirt on him and watched as Draco took off his dirty blue pants and underwear, his hands still in the air.

"Potter, you can put your hands down now," he said as he helped Harry into clean white children's underwear and tan cotton shorts.  Harry put down his hands slowly, smiling almost slyly as he looked at Draco.

Even though Draco was kneeling down he was slightly taller than Harry. He smirked at the toddler. "Imagine, me, taking care of the great Harry Potter. What a joke." He sneered at Harry, but Harry just put his hands back up again and twirled around. Draco watched him, amused though he didn't show it, and stood up, towering over the toddler.

The Slytherin changed quickly into his day robes, glancing at Harry every once in a while, watching him twirl.

"Potter, come on. Breakfast." He almost laughed out loud as Harry fell down dizzily when he stopped twirling. Draco smirked at Harry as he tried to get up, but failed, wobbling unsteadily until he plopped down on the carpeted floor. He looked up at Draco helplessly and held out his hand; afraid he might fall if he stood up again.

Draco sighed, leaning down and pulling Harry up, but when he tried to pull his hand away, Harry grasped it tightly. He started to pull Draco to the door but couldn't move his caretaker an inch. "Potter, it's eight in the morning. "Slow down," he said, exasperated, as he let Harry pull him along, the eager toddler grinning excitedly up at him. 

As they left Draco's room, Draco sighed in relief when he saw that the common room was empty. [They must be asleep or already in the Great Hall.] He sighed again, this time in irritation, as he felt Harry tug him to the crack in the wall, the boy pulling him persistently after he locked his door.

Walking to the great Hall holding Draco's hand, Harry was merrily bouncing around. Draco wondered where he got all that energy, not noticing a pair of third year Hufflepuff girls watch them as they walked, or rather, skipped by them. 

Upon reaching the Great Hall with Harry in the lead, Draco pulled his hand back from Harry's, putting it in his pocket while Harry looked up at him quizzically. Draco opened the door and walked in brusquely, reddening as he felt a hundred pairs of eyes on him. He made his way to the Gryffindor table to drop Harry off, not meeting any of the curious gazes as he did so. He heard the joyful feet of Harry trailing behind him and felt the small hand of Harry's lace with his own.  He didn't have the heart to let go. Finally picking up his head, he strode over to where Ron and Hermione were chatting quietly, looking at him and at Harry.

Picking up Harry under his arms, he sat the three-year old in between Hermione and Ron before smirking down at him and heading towards the Slytherin table.

He sat at the Slytherin table in a huff and finally had the grace to look up at everyone, his gaze sweeping the room. Only a moment later he felt a tug on his shirt and he turned around in surprise. Seeing no one, he lowered his eyes and met Harry's green gaze.

He nearly groaned as he said quietly, "Potter, what are you doing here?"

Harry didn't notice the apparent disapproval. Instead he grinned and tried to get up on the bench, without much success.

Draco just stared at him and looked across the hall at Hermione and Ron who shrugged helplessly, looking back at him. Actually, Hermione was the one who shrugged helplessly; Ron was giving him a menacing glare. He sighed as he looked back down at Harry, who was again trying to get up on the bench so he could sit beside Draco.

"Potter, this is for Slytherins. You are a Gryffindor, not a Slytherin." Draco said to him, his lips turning into a frown as Harry looked up at him helplessly, those green eyes silently asking him for a lift onto the bench. Draco sighed again as Harry tried to push himself up and finally helped him up, picking him up by his arms.

Harry grinned widely as he was safely installed at the table, looking around at everyone before picking up a fork and a knife and thumping it on the table loudly. 

"Potter! Stop that!" Draco immediately grabbed the utensils away from Harry, giving him a severe look. Harry just looked back at him with big, wide eyes before he looked at his empty plate. "Honestly, this cannot go on. I demand they find a cure at once," he complained half to himself.

"Draco, I'm hungry. I want some chocolate." Harry said, his high voice making Draco's fellow Slytherins snicker. Draco glared at them before he turned to Harry. "No, you will have pancakes. No chocolate."

Harry pouted as Draco lifted five or six pancakes into his plate, and he stared wide-eyed as Draco gave him a fork. Harry was barely able to peer over the table, his lack of height quite obvious. He looked at Draco as the Slytherin cut up his own pancakes, ignoring all the stares that were aimed at him. Harry stuck the fork in the topmost pancake before lifting it to take a bite. Without warning it slipped off the fork to the floor, emitting a loud plopping sound. Draco groaned.

Harry just stared at the pancake on the floor before tugging Draco's shirt. "Draco… the pancake fell on the floor!"

"Yes, I know, Potter." Draco said, removing his hands from his face long enough to cut the remaining pancakes into bite-sized pieces for the Gryffindor. When he felt Pansy tugging on his shirt, he turned to her in frustration.

"What?!" he barked out, making her cower back slightly.

She regained her composure and stared blankly back at him. "Why did you bring him over here?"

He stared at her in disbelief, unaware that Harry was making a mess of himself beside him. "I did no such thing, Parkinson," he growled, "In case you decide to use your eyes, you would have noticed that Potter followed me to this table, and I believe that no one wants him to cry **this early in the morning**." He sneered at her, his temper getting the better at him.

Pansy sighed impatiently, "Can't they find a cure for this? I'm your _girlfriend_, Draco." She gave a fake, sweet smile as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, her girly perfume making him nauseated. 

"You may be my girlfriend, Pansy, but you are being an immature one at that," he retorted, rolling his eyes when she fluttered her eyelashes back at him. 

He pulled back from her slowly, turning his head and looking beside him at Harry.

He closed his eyes in irritation as he saw what awaited him. There was brown syrup all over Harry's shirt* and crumbs everywhere, including in his hair. Seeing the fork on the floor, he looked at Harry's hands, which were covered in pancake crumbs and syrup. Draco's hands clenched into fists as he looked Harry over. 

"Damn it, Potter, it's only the second day and you can't manage to… argh!" He stood up, glaring down at the toddler who was looking up at him with a pout. He turned around to his fellow Slytherins who were staring at him and let out a growl from the back of his throat.

"Stop. Staring. This isn't a muggle show." He told them, the anger evident in his voice.

They looked away instantly; they didn't want to get on Draco's bad side. He looked at Harry again who was climbing off of the bench quickly, syrup dripping down his shirt. Draco quickly grabbed Harry's small arm, jerking him back. "Potter. Stay. Don't move." He watched as Harry started to twirl again.

He glanced up when he heard several Hufflepuff girls go "Awwww." He stared in horror at them, and looked sideways to see Ron and Hermione coming up to him. He looked gratefully at Hermione, but sent Ron a scowl.

Hermione stepped in front of Draco looking down at the twirling Harry. She looked up to him and smirked, "It's only the second day Malfoy, can't even keep him from making a mess out of himself?"

He scowled at her and said under his breath, "Sod off, Mudblood".  He looked up to see Ron glaring angrily at him, vaguely aware that Harry was also staring at him.

"Don't call her that, Malfoy," he said plainly. He looked down at Harry and tried to pick him up, but Harry squirmed out from his grasp and hid behind Draco.

They both watched as Harry peeked out behind Draco's leg, staring up at Ron and Hermione. Draco pulled him by his shirt so that Harry was in front of him, and dusted out the crumbs with his hands, aware of the sticky syrup all over Harry's mouth. 

"Disgusting Potter. You are absolutely disgusting." He gave a sour face as he pushed Harry towards Hermione non-to-gently. "Take him, I don't want this job anymore." He glared at her, then at Harry. Harry cowered a bit, but he continued to look back at Draco with those big green eyes.

"Malfoy, you know you have no choice…" she trailed off as he put a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"I do have a choice. I. Don't. Want. Him." Draco said, and started to back up slowly. The toddler's bottom lip started to tremble and the blonde haired Slytherin stopped in his tracks, praying that Harry wouldn't cry.

Harry held out his hands and stepped away from Hermione, his bottom lip now trembling violently, but he still wasn't crying as he stepped in front of Draco. Draco watched as Harry choked out, "Draco?" still holding up his hands so Draco could carry him.

[I can't do this. Oh fuck. Someone **help** me. ] He said to himself as he looked back down at the child, Harry's arms still stretched upwards. He looked around to Ron and Hermione who were giving him a meaningful glance, to everyone around in the room who were waiting to see what he was going to do, then, finally, to Pansy, who's brow was furrowed thoughtfully. 

Sighing, knowing somehow he would regret this, he picked Harry up, noticing that Harry was much heavier than last night. He felt slim, small arms go around his neck in an embrace and hug him tightly, and the smell of baby powder surrounded his nose. He was also aware that his robes were probably dirty now from Harry's earlier mess and he sighed heavily, rolling his eyes.  

He looked at the Head table and sent a glare at the headmaster who smiled back at him appreciatively before turning around and carrying Harry out of the Great Hall, not once looking back.

----------

Four hours later he exited the Great Hall the second time following a blessedly uneventful lunch, looking behind him once in a while to see Harry trailing along behind him, looking excitedly at the paintings. He wondered how a kid like this could have so much energy! Ron and Hermione were trailing behind both of them, talking quietly.

"Potter, we are going to the Quidditch field. I need to practice for tomorrow," he said curtly, mainly to Harry and not the other Gryffindors. He regretted that he wasn't walking fast enough when Harry came beside him and held his hand.

He stopped instantly and looked down at him, his brow furrowed in anger. "Potter, let's get this straight. Do _not_ hold my hand." He jerked his hand away from Harry's and put both of them in his robe pockets. He looked away when Harry's bottom lip started to tremble once again and kept on walking. He didn't glance back but his steps faltered as he heard Harry let out a choked sob, becoming louder and louder by the second that he stood there.

"Um… Malfoy?" Hermione's tentative voice rang out through the corridor above Harry's crying. He didn't turn around, but asked irritably, "What Granger?"

"Um…" She started, and she said something else but Draco couldn't hear her over Harry's howling. He turned around instinctively and instantly regretted it when he saw a pitiful face right in front of him.  Harry held up his arms to be held again. 

He looked up to see Ron's hands over his ears, and Hermione's face scrunched up in a cringe. They both looked desperately at Draco to comfort Harry. The three-year-old had started bouncing in his spot and Draco instantly recognized the symptoms of an imminent temper tantrum.

Draco didn't give in that easily; he just stared down at Harry, whose face was becoming obscured by his tears and the saliva dribbling down the side of his mouth. He bounced in place and stamped his feet, wanting to be held. He howled loudly, and when Draco wouldn't pick him up, he clung desperately to the Slytherin's leg, holding it tightly.

Draco put his head in his hands tiredly, and without opening his eyes he slid* his hands down and picked up the crying toddler, releasing a loud breath as he realized that all the saliva, snot and tears would now be on his expensive robes.  [Aw shite, these were new from mother.] He told himself, knowing that they would probably have spit and snot all over the black material. 

He gave Hermione and Ron a hateful sneer before he turned around, exhaling another loud breath in relief as Harry's crying changed into ragged breaths. He quickly walked to the hospital wing lost in his own thoughts, now aware of Harry's quiet breathing on his neck, the scent of baby powder surrounding him.  

He trailed up the stairs that lead to the hospital wing with fluid and a graceful motion and peeked in, looking around for Madam Pomfrey. He saw her attending a first year that looked like he had scraped his knee on something.

He asked quietly, hoping not to irritate her, "Madam Pomfrey? Can Potter stay here?" He heard Ron and Hermione come in behind him.

She looked up at him seriously before she nodded and pointed to an empty bed, and Draco quickly laid the now-sleeping Harry down. He turned to leave when Ron grabbed his shoulder forcefully.

"Malfoy, where the hell do you think you're going?"  

Draco smirked as he remembered this is exactly what happened yesterday, and he shrugged off Ron's shoulder as he made his way backwards towards the door.  "I'm going to Quidditch practice, Weasel."  He smirked as he turned his body around.

"You are supposed to take care of him!"  Hermione exclaimed, but Draco was already out the door as he called out behind him, "I'll be back at 5:30!"

And away Draco went to the Quidditch field, lost in his own thoughts again.

---------- 

The defeated looking Hermione turned towards Ron, and he gave her a reassuring smile as he sat in a chair beside Harry's bed. He was quiet as he sat down, praying that he wouldn't wake up the three-year-old. Harry didn't stir a bit, hopelessly tired from his temper tantrum. 

He patted the space beside him for Hermione and she sat down heavily, giving Ron a defeated look.

"What's happening Ron?  Why doesn't Harry like us?"

He looked away from her, a pensive look on his face. "I have no idea… but… that is not the part that bothers me. The part that makes me mad is the fact that he is clinging to Malfoy. Malfoy, of all people!" He let out in an angry whisper, getting a scared look on his face as he saw Harry stir.

Hermione turned away briefly, her face buried in her hands. She felt Ron's arm go around her shoulder, whispering comforting words in her ear.

---------

Draco was hardly paying attention to his beaters on the team as they stupidly began to swap each other on the butt with their sticks. Usually he would have barked at them about horse playing, but his thoughts were on something else.

He was remembering the baby powder scent that surrounded Harry. He remembered Harry looking so vulnerable, so small and quiet… well, except for the temper tantrums, but other than that… 

He snapped to attention when he saw a fluttering ball in front of him, and almost lazily, he reached out and snatched it.

He opened his palm slowly, watching the golden ball flutter, almost smiling sweetly up at him.

----------

Draco walked slowly up the stairs to the hospital wing, still clad in his Quidditch Robes. Hot, sweaty, and breathing hard, he glanced down at his watch that read 5:25 before opening the door.

As soon as he stepped in, he turned sideways to see Ron and Hermione holding a sniffling baby. He smirked as he stepped closer, and his eyes taking in the excited expression of the small child.  Harry tumbled out of Ron's grasp and ran over to him.

"Draco!" he cried out happily, hugging the Slytherin's thigh. Draco noticed there were tearstains mixed along with today's breakfast and lunch on Harry's shirt. He looked up to see Ron and Hermione looking relieved.

"What the hell happened?" he asked sharply, not liking one bit that Harry had been crying. He flinched slightly as soon as the words left his mouth appalled that he sounded concerned, even in his own ears. 

"He was looking for you when he woke up. That was 20 minutes ago, and we said you would be back," answered Hermione, leaning in closer to Ron's shoulder. Draco raised an eyebrow at this.

"And what have _you_ two been up too?" he asked, smirking, and instantly Ron and Hermione stepped apart, Ron blushing furiously. He shook his head as they were trying to explain and looked back down at Harry. 

"You're a mess." He said plainly, his face turning sour as he observed how messy.

"You're a mess!" Harry giggled as he twirled around again.  He took one of Draco's fingers in his hands and held on to it.  "Where did you go?" he asked in a high voice.

Draco didn't answer as Harry began to twirl around holding his finger.  He watched as Harry made another twirl.  "Did you go flying?"

"Yes, I did."  Draco smirked down at the boy as he continued to twirl around holding his finger.  

"Ron said you suck!"

Hermione burst out laughing, and Ron was trying to put on a mocking frown.  He looked at Harry sternly.  "Harry, I did _not_."

Harry stopped twirling for a moment and smiled at Ron.  "Yes you did!  You said Draco was stupid and ugly and couldn't get a sha-!" but his mouth was covered by Ron's hand.

Draco stared angrily at Ron before speaking. "Watch your mouth, Weasel, or you might not be able to talk at all."

Ron sneered at him as he let Harry go, and instantly the toddler started running around the room, particularly amusing one Hufflepuff girl who was lying on a bed in the other side of the room. "Is that a_ threat_ Malfoy? Tsk, tsk, you should never threaten another student, especially when you're head boy this year. And in front of a child!"

Draco moved forward menacingly before glaring at him. "Don't tempt me to kill you, Weasel, because I will. I don't honestly care what age Potter is, he will obviously see some violence before the bloody week is over, and whatever you say I can be covered by Professor Snape. So just shut it."

Ron just smirked at him then looked away as Harry took Draco's hand again. "Draco! I'm hungry! Can I have some chocolate now? You promised I could have some this morning!" 

Draco raised his eyebrow at Harry and slowly pulled his hand away, putting it into his pocket. "No. No chocolate. Come on, I need to change first."

He pushed Harry towards the door, leaving the incredulous Ron and Hermione staring after him.

--------- 

They didn't get to his room until about an hour later, having been waylaid by Blaise, who _would **not leave him alone.**_ Harry immediately went to the toys and started playing with them, taking out a plastic sword. 

Draco looked around his room and his eyes immediately caught hold of Harry's new bed. It was a small cot located at the other side of the room, covered in white sheets.  He looked back to his desk and saw that there was one plate there filled with a peanut butter sandwich, another plate filled with spaghetti. He sneered as he muttered, "Damned house elves. This is disgusting."

He looked at his watch; it now read 8:30 PM. He was glad Dumbledore had _some_ brains to acknowledge he would be exhausted by the end of the day. No doubt it was under the Headmaster's orders that the house elves brought Draco some food instead of forcing him to go to the Great Hall.  Draco was in no mood to go to the Great Hall anyway, not with Pansy there.

Sighing, he picked up the peanut butter sandwich and a sippy cup and put it on the floor before he looked up at the grinning toddler. 

"Potter, eat this. I'm going to take a shower." Draco mentally added that he would have to give Harry one as well; he wouldn't have had _any_ kid look the way Harry did. His hair had grown a bit during the day so that it was past his eyes; his arms had syrup all over, his shirt was overflowing with crumbs of all sorts, and his hair was equally disgusting.

Making sure his door was locked so Harry wouldn't escape, he went in the bathroom and took a long, hot shower, his thoughts on several things that day.

When he came back, Harry was happily bouncing around the room with his sword, swapping everything around him.  He didn't see Draco emerge from the bathroom as he flung his sword, and pretty soon, Draco let out a yell.

"Bloody hell! Potter, damn, watch that thing!" He cried as he rubbed his shins that now sported a red mark. He closed his eyes in the slight throbbing and snatched at the sword with his right hand, flinging it on the bed.

Several minutes later when he thought he could breath, he opened his eyes to stare at Harry, who was staring back at him in silence.  He looked at the peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the floor and turned back to Harry.

"You don't want to eat?" he asked quietly, still rubbing his shins as he sat on his desk chair, grabbing the plate of spaghetti.  Twirling the fork, he watched as Harry came closer cautiously, eyeing the spaghetti with interest.

Draco looked back down to this spaghetti and looked back at Harry.  Immediately, he brought it closer, as in protecting it away from the toddler.

"You get the sandwich, I worked hard for this bloody spaghetti. Go away," he said immaturely, still aware of the hunger in Harry's eyes as Harry eyed the spaghetti, now right beside Draco. His hands were on Draco's knees as he peered over the plate, licking his lips.

"Is that spa… spa… ghetti, Draco?" he asked quietly, still trying to peer over the plate as Draco lifted it over his head. He pouted as he looked above him, then he looked back at Draco.

Draco drawled, part of his amused by this, part of him aggravated. "Yes, and it's mine, you get the sandwich." 

"But I don't want the sandwich, Draco!  I want the spa-spa-ghetti!  I want it!" he whined as he gave Draco another pout.  Harry started bouncing in his place, and Draco closed his eyes in impatience as he felt another temper tantrum coming on.

The slytherin brought down the plate as he watched Harry's face change from pouting to glee.  "I want the spaghetti too, so you have to share."  Draco got up from the chair so Harry could sit in it.

"But I don't want the sandwich, Draco! I want the spa-spa-ghetti! I want it!" he whined as he gave Draco another pout. Harry started bouncing in his place, and Draco closed his eyes in impatience as he sensed another temper tantrum coming on.

"I know you want it, bloody hell, but we will share it. Do you know what sharing is?" Draco rolled his eyes as Harry eagerly put the plate on the table, and then struggled to get up himself. He managed to get in the chair by himself as Draco pushed him closer so he wouldn't make a mess.

As Draco went to the abandoned peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the floor, Harry was eagerly slurping up the noodles, no doubt getting it all over his shirt and face again. When Draco returned, he growled in the back of his neck. "Damn it, Potter. Can't you keep clean for _once_ in your life? Honestly," he went on before he could think of what he was saying, "Didn't your parent's teach you –?"

Draco stopped in mid-sentence as he watched Harry sloppily eat the spaghetti. He couldn't believe he had just said that to a child, Harry Potter no less. Before when he had made similar remarks it was just to get Harry to do something, but he couldn't believe he had said that to a child of his own free will. He looked at Harry who dropped a noodle to the floor.

Sighing, he pushed the chair closer, but not before getting a pillow to prop Harry up. "Lean over. Don't spill, or… or you will get time out or something…" he trailed off as he nibbled on a half of the sandwich. He was too tired to yell at Harry this time, what with dealing with Harry and Quidditch practice.  He sat down on his bed and watched as Harry leaned over, and then looked back at him with a smile. 

"Share! Here, you can have a bite!" Harry cried gleefully as he slide down the chair, bringing the plate with him that that had only one bite left. Draco looked at the toddler.

"Thanks, Potter," he said quietly and handed Harry the rest of the peanut butter sandwich, which considered to be much more than one bite. 

He took the last bite of spaghetti, aware of Harry's eyes on him as the Gryffindor took a bite of the peanut butter sandwich. 

After Harry had eaten his shirt was covered in brown and orange sauce. Draco wondered how this kid could be so messy at the same time as energetic. Hell, when he was a kid, being as messy as this led to ugly consequences.

He brought Harry to the bathroom and undressed him, putting the toddler in the bathtub, his shirt having been caught up in the counter corner, his shirt ridding up slightly on his taut stomach.  He watched as Harry splashed around. 

"Draco!  What was that on your tummy?"

Draco looked back at Harry in curiosity as he sat outside the bathtub on the toilet seat.  "Are you talking about my belly button ring, Potter?"

"Belly button ring! I want one! It's so shiny Draco! It's really pretty!" Harry exclaimed as Draco closed his eyes, Harry's splashing water soaking his shirt.

Draco smirked as he finished washing up the energetic toddler, dressinghim in an oversized shirt.

"Potter, lets get one thing straight," he said to the toddler once they were out of the bathroom**.** "Tomorrow, you don't hold my hand. Tomorrow, you go with Pansy and stay with her when I play Quidditch. Tomorrow, you will _not_ make a mess out of yourself when eating. Tomorrow, you will act four, is that clear?" he asked, his voice stern as he looked down at the smiling child.

"Yep!" was all Harry could say before he went to his toy stash, and pulling out some blocks.  

[Must be a muggle toy.] Draco watched as Harry pushed the Lego's together, grabbing the little people and making them pretend to walk. He watched as Harry let a little Lego man die by jumping off the box.  The lego piece was small, mostly yellow, the Slytherin had noticed.  There were only two little men in the set, one was a construction worker, the other a pizza man, but Draco just thought they looked rather funny.  [Silly muggle inventions] he told himself. 

Smirking, he kneeled down and with a few whispered words and a swish of his wand, enchanted the little lego's so that they would act alive. Watching Harry's eyes become wider brought a grin to his face.  

He went to do his homework, still exhausted, but aware that as Head Boy he shouldn't shirk any of his responsibilities, despite the unlikely circumstances.

Three hours later, at twelve, his hand cramped and his shoulders tense, he organized his homework for Monday. Turning around, he looked for Harry on the floor. He didn't see him immediately, but his eyes traveled over to his bed, and on top of it lay a sleeping toddler with little lego men cuddled under his chin. Standing up, he removed the enchantment from the toys and put them away, but when he went back to pick Harry up, Harry let out a small whimper. 

Sighing tiredly, he tried again to pick Harry up, but Harry just curled tighter into a ball. Sighing in irritation now, but not wanting to wake Harry up, he took off his clothes and clad only in his boxers returned to the boy, towering over him. 

He poked him in the shoulder. "Potter, go to your own bed. Go."

Harry didn't wake up, and so Draco tried picking him up again. He managed to carry him, but Harry woke up, whining tiredly**.** "Draco…**"** he murmured sleepily. Draco carried him to his cot and laid him down, watching as the boy turned around and opened his eyes.

"Draco?  Sing to me?" he asked quietly, still in that high voice.  

"I can't sing, Potter."

Harry pouted a bit, still looking up at him with those adorable green eyes. Draco sighed, and started to hum quietly, watching until Harry's eyes closed in a deep slumber.  Draco retreated to his bed, exhausted and tired, and fell quickly into a peaceful sleep, dreaming about Harry and Quidditch. 

**-----TBC----- **

**Next Chapter:** Our little Harry turns four years old!  What will happen with Quidditch?  With Pansy?  Ron and Hermione?  Is there even a plot, or a back-story to this potion?  Keep on reading to find out! ::laughs::  This should be out by **Friday**, at the most.  

Ooooh! I cannot wait to write that one, it's going to be so adorable…shh! I mustn't say anything else... I have to keep people in suspense.  :: evil cackle :: Anyway, **please review!** (Actually, I already written it, but it needs to be beta-ed.)__

**Attention: **If you want me to EMAIL you when the new chapter is up, put it on the reviews, because I will not go to your profile and look for it.  Thanks for reading, and I hope you review this chapter, because reviews pump me up!  **Thanks to all reviewers!**


	3. Harry Turns Four

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of these characters, I wish I did, but I don't.

**Notes:** Wow, I want to thank everyone who reviewed! Thank you so much; you don't know how much I appreciate your comments.  I know that Draco is a bit OOC in the first chapter, but think of it this way: Did he really have a choice to go against the headmaster? ****

**Chapter Three:** **Harry turns four.**

Draco's eyes snapped open as he felt something warm and moving at his side.  He cautiously moved his head to the right as he saw a little black-haired boy curled spoon like by his body.  He watched as the boy turned over so that he would face the slytherin, and Harry gave him a small smile.  

"Are you awake?" Harry asked quietly, smiling widely as he poked Draco in the stomach with his finger.  

Draco growled as he looked down to where his stomach was poked.  "Potter, do not touch me, and why the _hell_ are you in my bed?"

Harry looked innocently up at him and sat up, bouncing slightly as he did so, making Draco's bed squeak.  Harry whispered while he leaned closer to Draco, pretending it was a game, "This is the safe house so the people in black won't get us!  Shhh, you will wake them up, Draco!"  Harry giggled as he put the comforter over him, kicking Draco in the stomach as he did so.

Draco tried to stay patient as he clenched his teeth together.  Grabbing the blanket and throwing it off Harry, he sat up and glared at him.  "I am _this close_," he showed how much with his fingers, almost pressing his thumb and forefinger together, "to hurting you.  Child or not, I am very, _very_ close." He growled again as he got out of his bed, groaning as he saw what time it was.

"Bloody hell, you wanker, it's only eight AM." He mumbled as he pulled Harry off his bed.  He looked down at the grinning boy as Harry went to the toy stack, taking out the plastic sword again.  Draco snatched it out of his hand quickly before Harry could hit him again in the shins.

"No, play with those muggle blocks or something.  The sword is off limits." He said grumpily as he walked to his closet to deposit it.  He froze in mid action as he remembered what day it was.  Quidditch Game, Ravenclaw VS Slytherin.  He looked back at the child who was playing with the lego and considered his options.

[I could leave him here…] He thought to himself as Harry got disinterested with the lego and started bouncing around his room.  He watched as Harry fell after a while with a thud, and Draco quickly dismissed that thought. [No, he would probably kill himself, stupid sod.  I could leave him with Pansy…] He cringed as he put the sword away in a high place so Harry wouldn't get it.  The sword wasn't sharp, but there were some sharp edges here and there.

[I'll ask her, that sniveling woman would do anything for me.]  He said to himself as he got his clothes ready for that day, putting it in his bag so he could change into his Quidditch robes later in the locker room.  He peeked out of his windows, and saw that the weather looked like it was going to rain. 

Going back to his closet, he put an extra set of robes in his bag, waterproof, which was expensive, and he instantly got struck with an idea.  Giving an amused grin, he looked at the jumping toddler, and looked back in his closet, grinning like an idiot and wondering how much he would pay for what he was going to do later.

---------- 

Fifteen minutes later, Draco came out grinning widely as Harry trailed behind him in a green shirt and blue pants, and what was remarkably a slytherin colored hat and scarf.  He gave Harry a Slytherin flag, with letters that said, 'Draco is sexy' flashing in green and silver, making the flag look attractive.  [Weasley and the Mudblood will kill me, but it is **so** worth it.] He thought to himself as he looked over the happy child again.  [In fact, Potter will probably kill me when he finds out what I did.]  Draco even told Harry what to cheer for when he told Harry that he would be 'playing a game' today.  He turned around and stopped Harry for a moment, smirking.  "Now, who are you going to cheer for?"

"Sly-Slytherins!"  Harry cried happily, and Draco snorted as Harry waved the flag eagerly, the flashing letters making him grin.  He turned around again and kept on walking down the corridor.

He peeked around and looked in the common room, seeing several younger years talking excitedly about the game today.  He sneered instantly as he saw the back of Pansy's head, her sitting on the couch, but quickly put on what he hoped was a charming smile as he crept up behind her. 

Placing a hand on her shoulder, she almost jumped a mile and she turned around in rapid motion, her face turning into a scowl, but seeing it was Draco, she put on a fake smile again.  Draco hated that smile with a passion.

"Morning Parkinson." He smirked slightly, and out of the corner of his eyes he could see that she was trying to put the 'Witch Weekly's Most Gorgeous Men' out of his site.  She smiled up at him, fluttering her eyelashes as she chirped, "Morning Draco dearest!" She leaned up for a kiss, closing her eyes and slightly puckering her lips.

Draco smirked down at her and leaned down, kissing her briefly on her lips, and he closed his eyes, nauseated at the smell of her perfume.  He wasn't sure if she put too much on, or that the perfumed really did smell that way.  He tried not to cringe as he pulled away quickly.

"How are you today, beautiful?" He almost choked out the words as he saw in the corner of his eyes Harry peer over the couch at her, the sparkling flag making him smile again.

Pansy certainly looked surprised at this, but she smiled up at him anyway. "I'm doing exquisitely well, Draco.  How about you?"  She frowned as Harry smiled at her slightly, bowing his head in a shy smile.  When his hat fell off, Draco sighed and bent down, muttering, "Potter is an absolute nuisance." As he put the hat back on Harry's head, making sure it wouldn't fall off this time.

He turned back to Pansy, answering her question, "I'm doing well, it would be brighter, though, if Potter wasn't with me." He sneered back down at the boy, but Harry was looking at the other Slytherins with interest.  The blonde haired slytherin decided to ask what he came down here for.

"Pansy, dear, do you think you can watch Potter today when I play?"  He smirked down at her.

Pansy's expression changed from disbelief to amusement. "Oh you are so funny Dray!" She giggled, making Draco close his eyes in frustration on how extremely high and annoying it was.  She batted her hands at him and went back to her magazine, which was on a different page this time.  

Draco raised an eyebrow at this and cleared his throat, resulting in Pansy looking up at him again with an irritated smile that suited her face. "Well?"

Her eyebrows came together in a thoughtful expression.  "Well, I… I thought you were just joking, Draco… I cannot take care of a child." She smirked down at Harry who was waving the flag enthusiastically right beside her boyfriend, waving his hands everywhere energetically.

"He's only four, Pansy.  Honestly, you can take care of a toddler."  He raised both eyebrows at her as she looked up, a disinterested expression on her face.

"But I am not taking care of Potter!  That…" she trailed off as she stole a quick glance at Harry, then back up to Draco, "_Thing_ is disgusting.  A Gryffindor to the end!  I don't want to mess up my hair, anyway, running after him."

He sighed and tried again, an angry gleam in his eye but he kept his patience. "He won't be running around, I talked to him and-,"

But she interrupted, "And he listened, dear?  Darling," she cooed, looking back down at her magazine, reading over beauty tips, "I simply cannot do it.  Besides," she said, looking up at him again, smiling almost seductively, "I will be watching you the whole time, watching you play Draco dear..  I have to cheer on you sometime, love."

He cringed visibly when he heard her say 'love'.  She giggled again when she thought he smiled, and went back on reading her magazine.  Draco watched her disbelievingly, sneering, as she didn't look up again.

He left the common room with Harry, making sure to keep Harry in front of him this time as he slung his bag over his shoulder so he could change later.  Making his way to the Great Hall, taking the slytherin dungeons, he almost fell over the Gryffindor as Harry stopped in his place, staring up at something in the wall.

"Potter, Damit! Watch where you are going!" Draco growled, swapping Harry on the back of his head, somewhat making the boy stumble forward.  He looked up at Draco with a pout before he looked up again at the wall.  Draco followed his gaze, to look up at the painting.

It was a painting of Circe, a witch of Greek Mythology.  She was stunningly pretty, but evil to the core.  Harry kept on staring at her, watching as the sorceress in the painting was stirring the potion.  He asked quietly, "Draco?  What is that?"

Draco sighed impatiently and looked at his watch.  The match started in one hour and thirty minutes.  "It's Circe, a witch, now let's go!"

He started walking down the corridor, but stopped shortly as he didn't hear feet trailing behind him.  He turned around automatically, for Harry was still staring at the painting.  "Potter, come _on_.  Let's go."  He walked back to where Harry was standing, and Harry immediately captured Draco's hands in his own, and Draco noticed that Harry looked somewhat frightened.  

"She's pretty." Was all he said as he continued to watch the sorceress add ingredients to the potion.  Draco clenched his teeth impatiently again, and shook Harry's hand off.  "She is, now let's go."  He stirred Harry's shoulders around as he went behind him, but Harry's eyes were stuck on the painting.

"What is she doing?" He asked curiously as the maiden looked at him and smiled evilly.  Draco almost shuddered at her look that was aimed at Harry, but he looked away quickly.  "She's making a potion."

"What kind of potion, Draco?"

Draco looked back up at her, and she winked at the slytherin this time while adding a vile of red liquid.  He decided just to answer Harry's question or else they might never get to the Great Hall.  His stomach grumbled for food, but he quickly said in an irritable voice, "Something for Odysseus.  She will make him forget to go home and make them want to stay on her island.  Now come on!" He turned Harry's head this time so that the brunette was looking straightforward instead of the painting.  

Harry looked at the witch one more time before he followed Draco down the hall, skipping quietly while waving his flag.  He started to hum quietly and that is when Draco turned around in surprise.  Harry just looked up and him smiling, still humming the song.  What was so remarkable about this song was the lullaby Draco was humming last night to him, and the night before.  Draco stared down at him in astonishment as Harry went beside him, and cautiously, looking in Draco's eyes, he laced his small fingers with the Slytherins'.

Draco looked down to where their hands were laced to Harry's face.  Harry was still smiling happily at him and quietly he said, "Go Sly-Slytherins!" and waved his flag energetically again in front of his face so that Draco could see.  

Draco carefully took his fingers, unlacing them from Harry's hands, and put them in his robe pockets.  He didn't even look at the sad face of Harry as he continued to walk to the great Hall in silence.

----------- 

Hermione and Ron were talking quietly among themselves as Ron stuffed his mouth with a croissant.

"Honestly Hermione, I do believe that Harry will turn out demented if he stays another second with that bastard."  Ron munched on his roll, his hands waving around, dressed in Gryffindor colors but a Ravenclaw colored flag was beside him to show his support.  

Hermione nodded in agreement not fully paying attention as she was lost in her thoughts, but she looked when she saw the Great Hall doors open.  She watched as Draco came in, his usual arrogant face not famous this morning.  He didn't look back as he headed towards the Gryffindor table instead of the Slytherin one.  Several people turned their heads at the Slytherin seeker, some of the eyes captivated on the Slytherins face, the rest's eyes focused on a little boy bouncing behind him.

She looked at Ron, his turning red with anger and embarrassment as he saw what Harry was wearing, and a green and silver scarf wrapped tightly around his neck as well as a little green and silver hat.  He scowled as he saw the flag and the words on it, almost breaking the goblet in his hands as he held it.  

"Malfoy, you are making him look like an idiot!" he snarled as he stood up, fixing the blonde slytherin with a hateful glare.  He looked down at the smiling Harry, and his expression softened just a bit.

"No I am not, admit it Weasel, he looks much better with more accompaniments." Draco smirked as Harry waved the flag again.  He smirked even more when he saw Hermione smile.

Ron growled and was about to say something else when Draco interrupted him. "Weasley, Granger, take care of Potter today when I play."

Ron's face was just as red as his hair as he heard the command.  He stuttered and was about to say something but Hermione interrupted him.  "Sure, we would love too… but couldn't Pansy take care of him?" She asked curiously, putting a hand on Ron's forearm, feeling the red-haired boy relax underneath her fingers.

Draco rolled his eyes as he said; "She couldn't take care of a child if her life depended on it.  Besides, you _are_ his other caretakers, aren't you?" He sneered as he turned to Ron, "I don't think Potter would like hearing that you didn't want him around when he was a child." He smiled smugly.

The blonde Slytherin looked down to Harry and pushed him towards Hermione.  "Potter, stay with Granger.  She will watch you." Then he turned and started to walk to the Slytherin side of the hall when he felt someone tug the hem of his robes.  He turned around in annoyance as he looked down, already knowing who did it.

"I want to stay with you!" Harry pouted as his Slytherin-colored flag drooped down so that he was scrapping the floor.  "I want to play the game to!  Let me play!" He whined as he looked into the gray eyes of Draco.

"No, you will not play.  This is a match between Slytherin and Raven-," but the Gryffindor interrupted him again.

"I want to play!  Let me play!  Please?" The last word came out in a pitiful voice; even Draco felt his heart pang, but he would never admit it as he continued looking down.  

"Potter. I said no.  Listen to me, all right?  I said no," he said in exhaustion.

Harry was bouncing in his place, his bottom lip quivering forcefully as he managed to choke out, "Please?" once again.

Hermione looked at the Slytherin with commiseration, Ron looked like he was about to laugh, but his face showed a smirk.

Draco raked a graceful hand through his hair, closing his eyes as he controlled his anger.  [What do little kids like again… bloody hell, I'm going to kill Potter when he returns to normal.]

Opening his eyes seconds later, he blandly said to the green-eyed boy, "I'll tell you what.  When we win today, I will give you the snitch, all right?"  Sureness in his voice sounded prominent.  He was aware that Ron rolled his eyes and crosses his hands over his chest while Hermione leered.

Harry stopped bouncing but still had that painful look on his face.  Draco took that as a yes as he made his way to the Slytherin table, and he rolled his eyes going there as he heard Harry's little feet run behind him.

---------- 

As he quickly stepped into the Quidditch field with the rest of the Slytherin team, Draco's heart fluttered in excitement as they all went in the middle of the field and mounted their brooms.  

"Now, I want a nice and _clean_ game, this means all of you." Madam Hooch said, directing this mainly to Crabbe and Goyle who were the Slytherin beaters.  Draco rolled his eyes as he silently chanted for her to hurry up so they could play.

He looked up momentarily when he remembered the best part of dressing Harry up.  He grinned as he saw a green stash of clothing among several red and gold ones up in the stands.  He grinned even wider when he saw the words, 'Draco is Sexy' flash in big green and silver letters.  

Madam Hooch zoomed away on her broom as she blew the whistle, and he flew up high, instantly looking for the snitch. 

After speeding around on his Firebolt above everyone else, he sneered menacingly at the Ravenclaw seeker, Cho Chang having graduated last year.  

"There goes Derrick with the Quaffle, passing it to his brother who bought himself into the team-!" Dean Thomas was cut off by a glare from Professor McGonagall.

"Sorry abou--! Holy Quidditch, there dives the Ravenclaw seeker Boot!  He is attempting the Wronski Feint!  Look at that face from Malfoy!  He knows what is fake and what is not!"  The voice yelled into the microphone as he watched the game.

Flying even higher, Draco looked around for the snitch, but his eyes caught hold of his girlfriend in the stands.  He almost fell from his broom as he saw her lean over and whisper flirtingly in Blaise Zabini's ear.  Blaise blushed and moved away from her a bit, but he blushed even more when she put a hand on his thigh.

Draco's hands clenched angrily around his broomstick and he tore his eyes away from her.  Looking for the snitch more intently, he thought he saw something shimmer over by the Gryffindor stands.  His did a double take to see if it was really the snitch, but when he decided it wasn't, his eyes caught attention to the sparkling flag Harry waved.

He absently lowered the broom as he continued to look at the rosy cheeked Harry Potter, and his lips unconsciously quirked up in a genuine smile as he heard Harry scream for his team.  If he listened closely, he could hear a very shrill voice screaming, "Go Sly-Sly-Slytherins!  Go Sly-Slytherins!"

Draco dived downwards as he saw a bludger coming towards him from the corner of his eyes, and his eyes caught attention to a golden ball, about 30 feet away from him towards the Hufflepuff stands.

He moved quickly and gracefully, weaving through and fro the other players as he made his way to the other side of the field, the Ravenclaw seeker not far behind him.  

----------

Ron winced as he heard Harry's shrill yells, and he winced even more when he heard the words.

"Harry!  Cheer for Ravenclaw, not Slytherins." He cried out as he watched the game intently, his eyes focused on the Quaffle that Lisa Turpin had in her hands.  The red haired boy waved his Ravenclaw flag around.

"Go Sly-Slytherins!" Harry cried out while Hermione laughed, her smile lighting up her face as she picked Harry up so he could see better.  She hadn't made a complaint yet of Harry's attire, but rather laughed at Draco's antics.  She watched gleefully as Harry smiled delightfully up at her, almost poking her eye out as he continued to wave the silver and green blur that was his flag.  

Hermione stepped closer to Ron unconsciously, smiling up and him as he smiled back, both unaware as Harry was watching them intently.  Their heads turned the second they heard Dean's voice.

"Oh look!" the commentator yelled loudly as his eyes followed the two seekers over at the Hufflepuff side of the field.  "There goes Boot and Malfoy, head to head!  Watch ou-! The bludger barely missed them, oh look! There they dive, whoa, Boot almost tumbled to the grou-! There Malfoy goes and he has it so close!  MALFOY CATCHES THE SNITCH!" Dean yelled as the Slytherin side erupted in very loud cheers, part of the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff stands applauding politely as the saw Draco pull upwards quickly, avoiding collision with the other seeker.

---------- 

Draco face broke into a smile as he panted heavily from the excitement and force of his playing.  Holding the snitch in his hand, he opened his palm to see the golden ball glisten with merriment.

He swerved his broomstick towards the Slytherin side of the field, looking for his girlfriend when he remembered what happened earlier when he was flying.  He looked at her fake smile before smirking, and turning towards the Gryffindor side of the field.  He could feel her confusion as he directed the other way, and then he felt her eyes on him as he looked around.  Looking around for Harry, he spotted him being supported on Ron's shoulders, the end of his flag poking Ron's head.  Ron didn't seem to mind; just seeing the little boy smiling was enough to pass his irritation.

Feeling hundreds of eyes on him, he hovered a few feet above Harry before he turned over on his broomstick, his feet around the stick portion tangled together so he wouldn't fall.  Hanging upside down looking at Harry, he held Harry's hand and opened it with his left hand, prying the fingers open with his own, while he gently placed the golden snitch from his fingers in the child's palm.  

He turned right side up, smirking as Harry beamed at him and looked down at the fluttering snitch in his little hands.  He could still hear his team celebrating below him as he flew right beside the Gryffindor boy so that they were both upright and the same height, inches away from each other as he watched in surprise as Harry leaned forward and gave him an Eskimo kiss on his nose.

Draco pulled back quickly, staring at the boy for a while before he looked at Ron's expression curved into a mocked disgusted gaze, and then he looked at Hermione as she had on a genuine smile.  He looked once more at Harry as Harry looked back at him, a delighted gleam in his green eyes as he held up the snitch.

----------- 

Twenty minutes later he emerged from the locker room with several students patting on his back for his victory, or several compliments on how well he played.  His chest swelled in pride as he turned the corner, and he absently frowned as he saw Pansy waiting for him, her smiling seductively at Crabbe as he walked pass her.

Her smile turned plastic as she looked at Draco, fluttering her eyelids.  "Draco! You played so well, I was watching you the whole time, and you were brilliant!" She squealed as she linked their arms together.  

Draco clenched his right hand angrily at that lie, and his muscles tensed at how close she was to him.  "Right.  Thanks." He said quickly.  

"You know, that snitch is rather appealing, and it would make a nice trophy in my room," She purred as she fluttered her eyelashes at him, her lips puckering up in a small pout.

Draco rolled his eyes as he looked away, hearing a shrill voice behind him.  He cringed in annoyance as he heard it was Harry.

"Draco! Draco!" Harry squealed as he ran behind Draco and around him, his hands spread out in an airplane gesture as he zoomed around the couple, one hand still holding the snitch, the other hand holding the flag.  Draco smirked as it hit Pansy in the knees, and she stared hatefully down at the boy.

"What Potter?" he drawled on, watching the boy zoom around him and stumble slightly.

"You were flying!" he said as he up righted himself and peered over Draco's side, smiling at the running Hermione and Ron.  

"Harry!  Don't-," Ron puffed, "Run away from us when we say to wait." He huffed again as both Hermione and him slowed down.  

"My name is Potter!" Harry said, smiling up at Draco, holding the snitch up so the blonde slytherin could see what he held.  "Not Harry!  Draco calls me Potter!"  He stuck his tongue out at Ron and Hermione before turning to Draco.  

Draco glanced and gave a smirk to Ron before looking down at Harry again.  "Potter, shut up."  And he smiled.

---------- 

[Dinner was interesting.] Draco said to himself as he made his way back to the Slytherin common rooms, Harry prancing in front of him eagerly.  He left early as he looked at the time; he still didn't finish his Charms homework, taking Harry with him.

After he entered his room, he locked the door, staring as Harry dumped the flag on the floor and placed the snitch on the table.  He smirked as he saw Harry wipe some of the crumbs off himself.

Draco had taken a bath earlier that day after the game, managing to get Pansy to go away for a while, and didn't see her until dinner.  At dinner everyone was commenting how comical it was for Harry to be wearing Slytherin colors, even Ron had admitted after a while before they went their separate ways to different tables that it was kind of cute and ingenious.

He checked his watch as it read 9:30 PM, and looked back at Harry who was drawing on a piece of parchment on his desk.  [That parchment seems familiar] He thought as he came closer and peered at what Harry was drawing at, his eyes widening as he saw Harry scribbling on his Divination homework!

"Potter you idiot!" he exclaimed as he pulled the parchment from under the boy's hands.  He stared defeated at the parchment that now had blue and black ink all over it.  He looked down at Harry angrily before his hands moved to Harry's hair, clenching his fingers in it.

Harry put on a pained expression as Draco towered over him, "Potter.  If you do this again, I will hurt you.  Stop being such a nuisance!"

Harry's bottom lip trembled as tears spilled out the side of his face as Draco continued to hold his hair tightly in between his fingers.  As soon as Harry started crying, Draco let go slowly, looking upwards instead of the boy.

He sat down heavily on his bed, watching as Harry continued to cry silently.  Softly, after a while, he called out, "Potter, come here."

Harry slid from the chair slowly to the floor, walking cautiously to Draco holding his arms out.  Draco cringed as he took one long, deep, breath in and pulled the child into his lap, looking away from the crying child.

"Potter. Don't do this again.  Okay?" he asked tiredly, raking a hand through his blonde hair as he pointed it to the parchment.  He glanced from the corner of his eyes as Harry nodded.  

"Promise?" He asked, not quite sure if Harry knew how powerful that word was.  He doubted it as Harry nodded as he leaned forward to Draco's chest, his crying having subsided into hiccups.

Draco picked up Harry after several minutes of the child calming down and went to the cot across the room.  He laid Harry down, his own exhaustion raking in as Harry let go of Draco's neck, staring sleepily up at him.  

Deciding not to do homework tonight since Charms homework was due on Thursday of this week, he went to his own bed taking off everything as he lay down only in his boxers.

He stayed awake for a while, not noticing the quiet breathing of Harry.  Finally, around eleven o'clock, he turned to his side closing his eyes tiredly as he felt and rather heard someone making itself across the room and struggle to get on his bed.  His eyes sprang open as he saw and felt another small body hesitantly curl itself at his side, and he was too drained to tell Harry to move, but instead, he put an arm around the already-sleeping Gryffindor's waist and went to sleep peacefully.

-----**TBC**-----

**Next Chapter:** Harry turns five years old!  Divination class with Hufflepuffs and lots more Quidditch, stay tuned as it will be out shortly!  What will happen with Pansy?  O.o Dun, dun, dun!

Also, yes, if you want, you can request some things.  To **franthephoenix** : I've already written the chapter, so I cannot put that line in, but it will be in the next chapter. 

**Notes:** Oh Wow, so many reviews!  You guys don't know how much I appreciate that.  You guys are _awesome_.  I personally want to thank **Jenna and Alisha,** (my betas) because they are fabulous people.  Jenna thanks so much on your output and grammar things, it's helping me a lot.


	4. Harry Turns Five

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.  So sad. 

**Notes:** This isn't as eventful as the last chapter that is why I took so long.  Sorry guys for the delay.  Compared to the rest of the chapters, this is probably the most boring one.  

Chapter 4: Harry turns Five 

Draco sub-consciously wrapped his arms around something soft, bringing it closer to his chest.  Feeling equal warmth beside his body made him feel secure.  He was somewhat aware of the rays of sunlight shinning through his green curtains, feeling some of the heat on his forehead.  He lazily fluttered his eyelids just slightly open, but closed his eye quickly as his sight caught a glimpse of the sunlight.  Minutes later, having not moved an inch, he groaned loudly and pulled the cover over him as he heard the wizard alarm clock beep loudly, the ringing sound in his ears annoying him greatly.  

"Stupid… alarm…" he grumbled as he felt something shift beside him, and he opened his eyes again slowly to see a little black haired boy staring sleepily at him.  It took him a while to register that there was another person beside him, a much older looking boy than yesterday.

Quietly, sleep still upon him, he asked groggily, "How old are you, Potter?"  He closed his eyes and opened them again, trying to get fully awake.  

Also quietly, Harry replied, yawning, "Five," and he held up five fingers to show Draco how old he was.  Harry's fingers were small and thin, his cheeks were rosy and his eyes sparkled in glee.  Harry's eyes became wider as he smiled, a boyish twinkle in his eyes as the Gryffindor slowly sat up, looking down at the Slytherin.  His outward appearance changed noticeably, for he looked slightly older than yesterday.  His black hair had covered his eyes almost, his body was slightly bigger, but his scar and boyish smile was upon his face.  His shirt was wrinkled from last night's sleep as it was bunched up together on his small stomach.  

"How old are _you_?" Harry asked in a squeaky tone, smiling, as he climbed out the bed eagerly and looked at Draco.  He looked around the room, fascinated as if he had just seen it for the first time.

Draco opened his eyes slowly becoming more aware by the sight of Harry's presence and he looked horrified for a moment. "You slept in my _bed_?!  _Beside_ me?!" Draco hoarsely said, but the blonde knew he had, but he couldn't believe it himself that he had let his arch nemesis sleep in his own bed!

Getting up quickly, he sneered down at the Gryffindor.  "Potter, do _not_, under _any_ circumstances, _ever_ sleep in my bed again.  You got that?"  He smirked as Harry looked blankly at him.  Harry nodded slowly for a moment before he sat down on Draco's desk chair, looking at him intently.  His green eyes were penetrating, Draco had noticed.  

Draco looked skywards for a moment, wondering why on earth Harry was looking at him like that.  After a while, slowly getting aggravated because Harry wouldn't stop starting at him, he finally growled loudly at the back of his throat before he spat out, "What the hell are you staring at?!"

He watched as Harry cowered back slightly, looking a bit defenseless without his glasses, and looked back at him unsurely.  "Draco?"

Draco sighed impatiently as he let his feet dangle over the bed, the bed not sagging in the slightest in his weight.  He watched as Harry tilted his head questionably before asking softly, "Why do you call me Potter?"

Draco stared at him for a moment; his eyebrows were raised quite high, as he looked back at the five year old Harry Potter.  Harry just looked curiously at him.

Before he could answer, Harry asked another question, "Why does Weasley call me Harry?  Is he your friend?"  Draco looked a bit startled at that question but the Gryffindor asked more. "How about Granger?  Is she your friend?  Why did you once call her Mudblood?  What is a Mudblood? Can I have one?"

Draco stared at him, and he could see Harry's mouth open for another question but Draco quickly answered before the Gryffindor spoke, throwing down his hands in exasperation.  

"Potter!  Shut. UP!" He glared at Harry for a long time before standing up, stretching his hands over his head as he looked at the Gryffindor.

"Now.  What was the first thing you said?" he asked groggily and lazily, still trying to get his brain to function this early in the morning as he walked over to his closet to get some daily attire.  He felt Harry's gaze on his flat stomach as he turned, Harry staring at the belly ring.  Draco's eyes raked over the assortment of clothes, scowling when he found out that he couldn't wear his sweater today because it was still with the house elves.

"Why do you have a belly button ring?" a question was asked from the lips of the child.  

Draco turned his head around and looked at the chair that Harry was sitting at, only to find that he wasn't there, but right behind him.  He looked down in Harry's wide eyes, and was amazed how different Harry's height was compared to yesterday.

"I have a belly button ring because I think they are sexy." Draco smirked suddenly, then put on a goaded look, "No, I meant before that.  What did you ask?"

"Did you know that a baby hedgehog was a mole?" Harry squeaked out, his big, green eyes looking up at the Slytherin.  He smiled as he turned around and jumped back on Draco's bed, the bed emitting a loud creak.  

The Slytherin went over to the bed and pulled Harry off a little roughly, causing the boy to stumble onto the floor on all fours.  "Potter, stop being such a twit," he glared down at the boy, his teeth gritted.  

Draco's nose flared in irritation as he heard Harry speak again, "What's a twit?" Harry stood up after a while, his knobby knees letting him stand up proudly.  

"A _twit,"_ Draco paused before he continued in a drawled off voice mixed with a bit of spite and humor, "Is a imbecile who cannot stop asking questions," He paused again and looked down at Harry, towering over the boy, "and won't listen to their superiors. _That_ is a twit."  He smirked down at Harry before he went to the bathroom to take a nice hot and relaxing shower that would hopefully wake him up.

[Good lord, Potter is an annoying one!  I'm going to give that idiot so much hell when he returns to his normal state.  He will probably hate himself if he learns that he called me _Draco_.]  The blonde slytherin thought as he washed his hair, closing his eyes and letting the warm water slide down his body into the drain.  

In the background of his mind, the bathroom was dull, and Draco always forgot to do a spell to make it more appealing, not that anyone came in here anyway.  It was dull silver mixed in with some patterns of vines on the bottom and the top walls. 

Usually, Pansy would come in once in a while to kiss up to her boyfriend, stay awhile, but Draco never let her stay more than an hour, because he knew her intentions.  Only she had really seen what Draco's bathroom looked like, and even she said it was dull.

Shutting off the water, he thought, [Stupid git, I bet I have to take him to class.  Damn!] Draco sighed as he stepped out of the shower and grabbed his towel vehemently from the towel rack, drying off his body.

As he stepped out of his bathroom door with his clothes on, he suspiciously gazed around the room as his ears heard only silence.  His eyes trailed from the black bedspread to his closet, and he was aware as his feet took him to his bed first.  Cautiously, just in case Harry decided to surprise him, he slowly turned over the comforter ready for any scare the Gryffindor had planned, but all he saw was soft and dull sheets.

Draco looked around to the closet, wondering if the brunette was in there, but he got his answer as he opened it slowly.  Nothing except his clothes and some Quidditch gear.  Running a hand through his blonde and wet hair nervously, he looked sideways to his desk, and then his eyes drifting to the hollow of it.  He furrowed his brows in confusion for a moment before his eyes went to the door.  The slightly creaked door.

He rushed out, his heart beating madly as he thought of all the consequences he could get for losing Harry.  As he rounded the corner that would take him to the common room as he heard high-pitched laughter and a very strident childish voice coming from not that far ahead.  He rounded the corner, and almost cried in relief as he saw two sixth-year Slytherin girls giggling over the 5-year-old Harry Potter.  Harry was smiling up at them as Draco stormed closer and he was able to hear the five year olds words, "He has a belly button ring, and its very shinny and I want one too!  He is going to get me one someday!"

Harry was turned around right as Draco grabbed him in the boy's upper arm.  The head boy hissed, "Potter, you imbecile, don't you _ever_ leave my room again," Draco didn't realize how possessive he sounded until he looked up to see both of the girls staring at him.

"What?!" He barked out, straightening up and glaring.  The girls scampered away quickly after giving Harry a glance before they both left the common room.  That left only the five year old and the seventeen-year-old head boy.  Harry glanced up, cowering as he could feel Draco's rage radiate off of him.

"Potter!" Draco clenched his teeth as he squatted down to Harry's height, and he was still gripping Harry's small forearms tightly.  The Slytherin Captain just stared at him for a few moments, afraid that if he opened his mouth he would bark extremely horrible words to the boy.  

He took a long, therapeutic breath as he watched Harry's face turn from a frightened expression to a solemn one.  Harry remained quiet through all of this.

Quietly, Draco spoke, "Potter.  Don't leave anywhere without me, all right?  Dumbledore will kill me, and I don't want to die before the age of 20.  Is that clear?"  He watched as Harry nodded, and he let go of his tight grip on the boy's forearms.  Standing up, he told Harry not to move from his place as he got his books from his room and returned, motioning for the boy to make his way to the exit of the Slytherin Common room.

Draco kept the boy in front of him as he walked and he watched as Harry slowed down again and glanced up at Circe's painting.  Draco looked curiously at him as Harry asked quietly, "What potion is she making, Draco?"  Harry's voice was soft, but strangely apprehensive.  Draco stared as Harry's lips turned from a smile to a frown, his eyes not widening, but fear on his face was evident.

Draco didn't do anything as Harry unconsciously reached up from his hand, and this time, Draco didn't let go so quickly.  He felt Harry's hesitant fingers curl around his, and he looked up at Circe again.  She was smiling at Harry directly, a cold and evil smile only that could be interpreted as malicious, before with turned around and went out of her door leaving Slytherin and the Gryffindor who staring at the empty painting in silence.  Finally, Harry let go of Draco's hand putting them in his pockets like the Slytherin had done so much before, and he waited for Draco to accompany him to the Great Hall.

----------

When Draco entered the Great Hall with Harry in tow, he didn't bother making his way to the Gryffindor table; in fact, he didn't even bother _looking_ at it, knowing that Harry would cling to him no matter what he did.  He was consciously aware of the stares he received from his housemates as they watched Harry skip behind him.

He heard Pansy bragging loudly as he approached his house table, "Of course he has a belly button ring, and I've seen it _millions_ of times!" She smiled and fluttered her eyelashes when Draco sat across from her, not noticing – or pretending not to notice - that Draco had raised a disbelieving eyebrow at her.  

He looked across from her and saw the two girls that were talking to Harry this morning giving him very charming smiles.  He looked back at Pansy, and thought, [I have never shown her my belly button ring!  Stupid whore.] He glared at her and she frowned, though, Draco noticed, when Harry sat down beside the blonde-head boy gazing at the food spread out across the table. 

Harry loudly said, "I want some pancakes!  Can I have some pancakes?  How about syrup?  I want some Pancakes with some syrup and butter!"  The boy-who-lived was looking eagerly at the stack of pancakes, his eyes wide.  Several of Draco's housemates snickered at Harry but Draco just sent them a glare that shut them up quickly.

----------

After breakfast Draco was walking with Pansy to Divination while Harry followed behind them noisily, stomping his feet every few minutes.  Out of irritation Draco hissed out through his teeth without turning around, "Stop it, Potter."

Pansy smirked but she didn't look back when Harry started singing loudly.  She possessively linked both her and her boyfriend's arms together and then lacing their fingers as one.  Draco had a sudden impulse to shake that hand away, but he was interrupted.

"Sunshine, you are my sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray-," Harry started to sing, but he was cut off by a sharp look from the blonde slytherin boy.  Harry then started to hum quietly as Pansy, Draco and himself made their way to Double Divination with Hufflepuffs.

When everyone was seated, they all watched the dull Professor rise from her seat and move to the front of the room, her hands together and positioned on her lower stomach.  She was wearing a green dress today; her herbal tea scent was strong as Draco cringed up his nose.  

Professor Trelawney spoke, her voice almost alluring, "Today, we will be studying Scrying.  Does anyone know what that is?"  She looked around the room, her eyes resting on several talkative Hufflepuff girls disapprovingly.

Draco knew the answer, of course, and raised his hand.  He noticed from the corner of his eye that Harry also raised his hand high in imitation to Draco's hand, a boyish smile on his face as he thought he must be doing _something_ right in Draco's eyes.  Draco was about to tell Harry to put it down but before he could do so, Pansy hissed, "Put it down Potter, you idiot!"

Draco looked at her and was taken aback slightly at his girlfriend's ferocity towards the child, but he was snapped back into attention when he heard his name being called on.  In a drawled out voice, he said, "Scrying is a method of divination that involves staring at a clear or reflective surface until images begin to form."  He said smugly.  He glanced at Harry from the corner of his eye; Harry was slowly putting his hand down while looking at Pansy almost in a scared fashion.  

The professor nodded, his scarves and jingles around her waist making her look like an oversized green bat.  "Correct Mr. Malfoy, Five points to Slytherin.  Do you all remember when we gazed in the Crystal Ball in your third year?"  She asked, looking around to the surrounding tables.  All of them nodded in assent.  

"Right, now, Scrying is like crystallomancy," With a swish and flick of her wand, each table had two small mirrors and two small bowls filled with water.  "Now, today's assignment is to test out which works better for you.  Staring into a reflective and solid surface, or staring in a reflective liquid surface." She drawled on, and if Draco didn't eat some sugar this morning, he would have been falling asleep by now. 

She continued ignoring the yawns she was receiving from some of the male Hufflepuffs, "Write a 25 inch assignment to be turned in next week."  She scurried off to answer a Hufflepuff's question in another table.  Draco looked disbelievingly at the two mirrors and the two bowls that contained water that was placed in the center of their table.  He sneered as he saw Harry stand up on his chair, looking into the items.  

"What is that?  Is that water?  Can I see?" Harry asked and his hand started moving to the edge of one bowl with the water in it, obviously curious but Draco snatched it away, aware that everyone on his table was staring at him.

"No.  You cannot see," he said snobbishly. He dragged the bowl so that it was in front of him while Pansy got a mirror and started to fix her hair. Crabbe got the other mirror while Goyle looked stupidly at the bowl of water, his eyebrows narrowing in confusion as he sleepily glanced around to see what he was supposed to be doing.

"But I want to see!  Why is there water in there?  What are you supposed to do with it?  How-," but this time, Professor Trelawney interrupted Harry giving him a disapproving glare.

"Mr. Potter, even if I have known all along that you would turn into a child, I would appreciate if you would keep silent during this whole thing because it involves vivid concentration!"  

Harry recoiled a bit while the rest of the class snickered.  He looked back at the water, and then finally, he sat down on his chair and pouted.  Draco could see from the corner of his eye that Pansy was grinning and he frowned absently as her lips turned into a sneer when she saw Harry looking at Draco.  

Looking into his bowl of water with a conscious side-glance at Harry who was also trying to look into it without seeming obvious, he stared uninterestingly in it.  In a drawled out voice, he asked, "And what are we supposed to look for?"

"Draco?" A hesitant voiced asked and Draco sighed, looking up into the green eyes of the child.  He glanced at the corner of his eye as Goyle's head drooped from lack of excitement; almost wetting his hair in the bowl of water while Crabbe was staring at a Hufflepuff girl across the room.    

"What Potter?" he drawled on, about to fall asleep himself from the lack of vigorous activity.  He was sub-consciously aware of the calm silence of the room as everyone continued to look into their objects, or perhaps, the calm silence was because they were about to fall asleep.  The blonde slytherin looked back in the water, his face reflecting on it.  He saw nothing as he rolled his eyes hearing in the background that Professor Trelawney talking to one of his slytherin housemates.   

"Can I see?" Harry's voice was quiet and almost cautious, and Draco realized that Harry was waiting for him to say no.  "It is _may_ I see, Potter.  Not _can_ I see."  He replied and rolled his eyes when Harry stood up and moved his cushion closer to the blonde Slytherin.  He looked over to his other side, and Pansy was moving closer to him also as soon as Harry started to do so, and instantly he cringed at the overuse of her perfume.  

"Parkinson, could you not move so close?" He asked crossly, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath from his mouth in lieu of his nostrils.  She looked at him quizzically before asking in an annoyed voice, "You never objected me this close before."  

"That is because you never wore so much of that bloody perfume, it's giving me a damned headache."  He drawled out, looking at her pointedly.  Her face was twisted into a frown, but Draco knew it wasn't because she was hurt; it was because she was annoyed that her boyfriend of all people was telling her that she smelled unpleasant.

Turning to the child and ignoring Pansy's glare, he watched as Harry's eyes were focused on the water.  Draco watched interestingly as Harry continued to stare in the reflected pool, and his eyes squinted together as Harry's expression was suddenly changing.  His green eyes because dark unlike the bright glow it always portrayed, his lips were slightly apart and his hands were clenching the side of the table.  Draco looked around the table he was sitting at, only to find he was the only one that noticed Harry's state.  He looked back at the Gryffindor and in a quiet voice he asked, "What do you see, Potter?"

Harry didn't answer for a couple of minutes.  His breath had quickened a bit, and now he was biting his lower lip unconsciously.  Draco noticed that he stopped clutching the table, but now he was clenching his small fists together.  Draco's gaze moved from Harry's face to his little hands, and then his own hands hesitantly moving upwards and uncertainly uncurled the small fingers.  His eyes narrowed as he saw the deep and Red Crescent marks on Harry's palm, but the boy was still looking at the water. 

He asked again after letting Harry's hands spread out before the boy, facedown on the table so the boy wouldn't hurt himself, "What do you see?"

Harry looked away from the bowl slowly, his eyes lingering on the water.  In a very low whisper for only Draco to hear, Harry asked, "Are you going to leave me Draco?  Please don't leave me, Please!"   Of all the things Draco had expected Harry to do, this wasn't it.  The Head boy watched as Harry slid his small hands from under his hands quickly and looked back at the Slytherin boy.

Draco's eyebrows furrowed but he didn't reply as he heard the Professor say something.  He looked at her slowly, aware that Harry was looking in his own lap; the boyish smile disappeared from his face entirely as he fidgeted in his seat.

"You are dismissed early, remember, 25 inches due next week.  And yes, Mr. Finch-Fletchley, I expect it to be no less in case you decided to ask," then she turned to Pansy quickly, "And Ms. Parkinson, please don't wear that Perfume anymore, it is clogging up my room."  She sniffed in the air before she dismissed the class; Pansy's face was red in embarrassment as Draco smirked at his girlfriend.  

The blonde Slytherin made his way down the Divination tower not slowing his steps as he heard Harry trying to catch up with him.  He watched as Pansy retreated to the girl's bathroom and smugly, he decided not to wait for her as he continued walking to lunch.  He was aware of Harry's closeness to him and that brought back something to his mind.  Quietly he asked, "What did you see in the bowl, Potter?"  

Without looking down, he felt Harry's hand wrap around two of his fingers slowly.  Harry's grip was tight around his fingers as the Gryffindor didn't reply, but continued to jog along to Draco's long walking strides.  When Harry didn't say anything for a few minutes, Draco just sighed, and for the first time in taking care of Harry, he let Harry's hand hold his own.

----------

After another eventful lunch, Draco remembered that he had no afternoon classes.  His smile disappeared when he realized that Hermione and Ron has classes, therefore they couldn't take care of the five year old.  

Deciding poorly that Harry didn't need a nap and knowing Pansy would refuse to take care of Harry – and he silently added she would probably do something horrible to him – he took Harry to the Quidditch field.  

With his hands in his pockets so Harry wouldn't touch them, he dully said, "Potter, I am going flying, do not-," but he was interrupted by Harry's squeaky voice.

"You are going flying? Can I fly?  Will you teach me?" and then suddenly, Harry took out the golden snitch in his pocket before looking up at Draco with sparkling eyes.  

Draco's lips parted as he saw Harry's smile, and most importantly, when he saw the snitch in Harry's hands.  "You gave this to me a long time ago!  Do you remember Draco?" 

Draco's eyebrows narrowed in confusion.  In an annoyed tone he said, "It was just yesterday, Potter.  That wasn't a long time ago."

Harry continued to jog along to Draco's quick strides.  "No!  It wasn't yesterday!"

"Yes it was."  The answer was short and curt.

  
Harry pouted and held the snitch in his hand like a treasured belonging, following Draco out of the castle to the Quidditch field.  Every once in a while Draco would glance back at Harry, who was fondling the gold snitch in his hand.  Good thing every game they have a new snitch, Madam Hooch believed it would jinx the game if they used the same one after another.  They had established this rule during the end of Draco's fifth year.

As he went into the broom shed to get his broom, he didn't notice as Harry ran quickly behind him, Harry's large green eyes brightening and widening as he swept his gaze over the small shed, looking at all the brooms and equipment in high interest.  Draco straightened up after putting the equipment on himself and turned around to Harry, watching as the boy's gaze landed on Draco's Firebolt.

"Draco!  What is that?  Can I touch it?  Who's is that?  Wha-," Harry started, but Draco put his hand over Harry's mouth to muffle the irritating sound to his ears.  Taking a deep breath – or several in fact-, he released his hand that was covering the boy's lips.    

"It's my Firebolt.  Don't touch it," The blonde slytherin said calmly as he picked it up and undid the protecting spell.  Harry's gaze went to each and every broomstick before the boy's gaze landed on his own firebolt.

Draco watched intently as Harry moved forward slowly, the boy's gaze sweeping up and down the long handle and on to the twigs.  Quietly he asked, "Whose broomstick is this, Draco?"

Draco sighed heavily as he walked over to Harry and stirred him around to walk outside.  "It's yours Potter."

All Harry could say was "Oh," before he was lead outside in the hot autumn sun.

---------- 

After Quidditch Practice and bringing Harry to his room so that Harry could take a nap while Draco worked on his homework, Draco took a side-glance towards the sleeping child on his bed.  

Draco finally admitted to himself that even five year olds needed a nap of some sort. It had been three hours since Harry had been asleep, even if Draco didn't allow Harry in the air and just told him to sit in the Gryffindor stands and do something, Draco would always glance over to Harry to see that he was still there.  Finally deciding that Harry was falling asleep in the sun, he had taken Harry to his room after just forty-five minutes in the outdoors. 

Checking his watch then glancing back at the child sprawled out on his bed, he decided he should wake Harry for dinner.  His stomach was grumbling – in a sophisticated manner of course – as he sighed and put down his quill.  Walking over to him, he poked the boy in the shoulder gently.

"Potter. Wake up.  Dinner time," his voice was gentle despite his impatience that Harry didn't wake up right away.  Harry opened his eyes sleepily after a moment, squinting slightly at the light above him.  Draco realized how different – beside his obvious state – Harry looked without his glasses.

"Let's go.  Dinner," He said in an irritated tone and watched as Harry slowly got up from his bed, rubbing his eyes.

Harry didn't say much as they made their way to the Great Hall and surprisingly, Draco walked slowly for Harry so Harry didn't have to run.  

As soon as they entered the Great Hall, Ron came over to him with his face red and hands clenched.  Hermione was trailing after him with a worried expression on her face.

"Where were you two today?  We didn't see Harry at all!" Ron exclaimed and Draco was vaguely aware that several heads turned their direction at Ron's outburst.  

"I took him to class then to Quidditch Practice, Weasel." Draco growled back, pushing past Ron to the Slytherin table.

"Well, we heard from Crabbe and Goyle…" Hermione said, not moving an inch but watching the Slytherin's retreating form back to his own table.

Draco turned around quickly, and was now aware that Harry was holding his hand.  He glanced from Ron's face to Hermione's, both looking at what Harry was holding before their faces turning into one confused puddle.  

"What about Crabbe and Goyle?" Draco drawled out, turning around completely before shaking Harry's hand away from his own jeeringly.  Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.  Turning to Harry before addressing Ron, he barked, "Stop it Potter! Don't fucking hold my hand!"

The hall was silenced at his words, it was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.  He watched intently as Harry took a hesitant step back, then several after that before he turned around completely and bolted out the door.  Draco's first thought was to shrug and return to asking Ron about what his goons had said but it slowly turned into painful guilt as he continued to stare at the door Harry ran out of.  

He didn't have a second to think before he was hauled by the hem his robes and slammed down to the floor, his own hands clenched into fists on instinct as he took a swing into the face of his attacker.

Thus the fight began between the redhead and him, the words that came out of Draco's mouth provoked Ron's last nerve as Ron grabbed the Slytherin and both of them wrestled to the floor.  He was somewhat aware of the cheering hall as they fought on the stone cold floor, hitting, punching and kicking, a mad fistfight between the two boys.  

Without knowing that several minutes passed by, it was eventually Snape who separated them, giving Draco a very, very, intimidating glance.  Turning to the struggling red haired boy in Seamus and Dean's arms, he coldly voiced out, "Weasley, 50 points will be taken from Gryffindor.  Detention, tomorrow, scrubbing my classroom at ten PM."  

Then slowly, he turned to Draco.  The Slytherin was no different from the Gryffindor; he was struggling against Crabbe and Goyle who were holding him tightly, blood running down the side of his mouth as his blonde hair was sprayed around his face.  

"Mr. Malfoy, this is completely unacceptable.  Not only because you are head boy this year, but because you are disgracing the Slytherin honor," Snape hissed, then quietly and almost maliciously he said, "75 Points will be taken from the Slytherin house _as well as_ detention with Weasley tomorrow."

Draco's jaw dropped as Ron looked horrified.  His cronies let him go as Draco stared at Professor Snape, he opened his mouth several times before he closed it completely.  Snape's face showed no bluff and no commiseration as he walked swiftly back to the head table, his robe fluttering behind him.  

The whole hall was silent, as they looked at the black eyed Ron and Draco who was sporting a bleeding lip.  Draco finally closed his mouth and wiped the blood that was dripping down the side of his chin, and with one last hateful glare at Ron, he turned and walked out of the Great Hall, settling with a dramatic exit as he held up his chin proudly and left the doors open.

As soon as he was out of people's view, he slowed his brisk walk to a slow walk and ignoring the throbbing cut on his lip.  He was aware of the silenced hall as he walked back to the Slytherin dungeons, already knowing where Harry would be.  He was correct in his assumption as he turned the corner, to see Harry sleeping next to the Slytherin Common Room entrance.  

Closing his eyes and feeling horribly guilty that he had hurt Harry to the point where the child had run away from him, he crouched down to him and picked him up.  His eyes opened in surprise at the weight Harry was sporting, which was a very big contrast from yesterday.  Whispering the password to the entrance of his house's common room, he consciously hugged Harry closer to his chest at the first feel of Harry shivering.  He knew he was getting some blood on Harry's clothes from his lip, but he chose to ignore the painful throbbing until they got upstairs and he laid Harry gently on Harry's cot.

Tiredly and painfully, he slugged to the bathroom, cringing, as he not only saw his own eye black and blue in the mirror, but his lip bleeding down into his shirt.  He quickly fixed the cut on his lip the best he could and then fixed the blacked spot on his eye to hide the ugly color of the uneven hue.  He didn't do a good concealer charm apparently, because it mixed with his skin tone horribly.  

Looking into the mirror, he saw as Harry's head peeked in hesitantly, looking into the mirror at his reflection.  The brunette was barely halfway through the door as he cowered slightly when Draco looked back at him.  

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered, his hands fidgeting with his shirt, his eyes wide and sincere and hopeful.  He was already backing out of the bathroom doorframe when Draco reached out and lightly touched his shoulder.  He felt Harry instantly tense, but not move away as Draco came closer to the boy.  

"Potter… It's my turn to say that," Draco paused for a minute, and then he looked down at Harry, "I'm sorry."

For once in his life, Draco Malfoy was apologizing and he _meant_ it.  He meant it with every might in his body at the point, his ego deflated and his guilt soared free as he saw Harry nod slowly, then smile.

Sighing, and letting go of Harry's shoulder, he pushed Harry gently to his room and sat down on his chair.  His stomach grumbled at the lack of food when there came a knock on his door.  

"Who is it?" he asked wearily, watching as Harry sat on his bed, hearing the creaking sound it made.  It was only Seven PM, but it felt like it was later into the night.  

There were about two muffled voices at the other side of the door, before someone spoke out, "It's Hermione.  Can… Can we come in?"

Draco stood up slowly, taking his time to walk to the door before he opened it, smirking as he saw Hermione holding a napkin covered plate with Ron standing behind her.  He leaned against the doorframe and sneered.  "What do you want, Granger?"

He saw as Ron tense behind her, and he inwardly laughed at Ron's determination not to pounce on him, because he could see that the red head really wanted to.  Hermione was trying not to look obvious as her eyes darted around in the room behind Draco, trying to look for Harry while she said, "We brought you and Harry some food… that is, if Harry is in there…"

Draco smirked as he moved in, opening his door for Hermione and tried not to bang it in Ron's face as the red head came in.  Harry was sitting on the bed silently studying them.

Hermione smiled as she saw Harry, laying the plate of hot sandwiches on Draco's desk before she sat beside him.  Harry looked up at her blankly.

"Hi Harry… Ron and I brought you and Malfoy some food," she motioned to the sandwiches as Draco closed the door and sat on his desk chair.  Ron was still standing by his bed stiffly.  

Harry smiled at her for a moment before he looked at the plate hungrily.  Sliding from the bed slowly and peering over the plate, he uncovered it and took a peanut butter sandwich before he slowly took a small nibble.

Turning to Hermione he asked in a child's voice, "What kind of sandwich is this?"

Draco heard Hermione's answer as he got his own sandwich.  Her voice was amused, as he looked at the small boy almost motherly.  Strangely, Ron didn't say a thing.  

"It's a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Harry."

Another nibble, then a bigger bite.  "Do you play Q-Quidditch?"

A small girlish laugh, "No Harry, I don't.  Malfoy does, however, do you remember?"  

Draco watched for a moment at the tone of Hermione's voice as she asked that question.  He looked tiredly at his watch, not wanting to seem rude since Hermione brought him some food, but desperately wanted to go to bed because he was so tired.  

"Yes!"  Harry smiled as he pulled out the snitch in his pocket.  Showing it proudly to Hermione then to Ron, he squeaked, "Draco gave this to me a long time ago!  I remember it was at a Q-Quidditch game, and-and he gave it to me!"

Quietly, Hermione asked, "A long time ago?"

"Potter," Draco drawled after swallowing his sandwich, "It was just yesterday."

Harry nodded absently as he put the snitch back in his short pockets.  Draco noticed as Hermione observed Harry quite closely.  

"Right…" she said, then glanced at Ron who was still standing stiffly by the bed, "We should go Ron."

Ron nodded as he started walking over to the door, opening it for Hermione.  Draco spoke up quietly before they left, "How did you get in the Slytherin Common room?"  

Hermione and Ron smirked suddenly and exchanged a glance before Hermione said, "_Pureblood Superior_ is not _that_ hard of a password, Malfoy."

Draco watched, amazed, as they both bided Harry goodnight, and Hermione smiled at Draco before she left his room.  Draco continued to stare at the door, contemplating if what just happened _happened_.  Looking to Harry slowly who had finished his PB&J sandwich

Harry was still wearing his shirt that sickly viewed Draco's blood from earlier.  Changing Harry quickly from his shirt and putting on an extra big white shirt that was far to oversized for Harry, he changed himself before climbing into his own bed, thoroughly exhausted.   He looked at Harry who was climbing into his small bed at the other side of the room before he whispered the words that illuminated the room to darkness.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness in seconds as he pulled the covers up to his chin and the gentle breathing he could hear across the room before he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

-----**TBC**-----

**Next Chapter: **Harry turns six!  Hermione is suspecting something with this potion, but *gasp*, what could it be?  What happens when you get a _very_ energetic 6-year-old child running around in Magical Creatures?  *Hears a faint thud in the distance*.

**Notes**:  Gah.  This chapter took _so_ long to complete, I swear, and I guess I made it up with the boringness, as this is the longest chapter I have written so far.  This chapter is relatively boring, nothing _really_ exciting happens until Harry turns around 8 or 9… So. Yeah.  This is probably the worst chapter.  

Someone asked me in Instant Messaging if I would ever finish this fiction.  The answer is yes, because I have everything written down, everything on everyday is carefully plotted out and written down on paper.  

The next chapter should come out… in about 1-1 ½ weeks if I am not busy, because I have this *huge* ass report due, so we shall see.  Thank you to all those who reviewed it, I love you! ::sobs happily::

Please Review and I will love you forever :)!  


	5. Harry Turns Six

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these characters. 

**Notes:** The last chapter I tried to self-beta it, it didn't work out that well, obviously.  LOL, thanks to everyone who reviewed, I appreciate when people take time to click the little "Review" button and write some comments.  

**Answers to Questions and Comments**: Yes, there is a plot to this.  I have written everything out on paper. I am basing how Harry acts on my nephew's and nieces.  I have (currently) two four-year-old nephews, one 1 year old, one 9 months old, one ten year old and others.  I have lived through my ten year old nephew's life since he was five – and I still don't know how I survived. Someone asked about Harry's glasses – As far as I see it, Harry still needs them and that will come up in the upcoming chapters.   Someone was sort of concerned if it was a bit of incest-related.  I was thinking about this also, but I hope the way I will progress the story it will make more sense that it really isn't… incestuous.  The CIRCE painting comes later in the plot as well does the snitch… opps!  Shut up Dorothy! :: shuts up ::.  I put angst as one of the genres earlier, but I can see how it won't be it as of this chapter, but later there should be _some_ angst.  **This WILL be a Harry and Draco pairing.  SLASH.  MALE ON MALE.** (To those of you who think it won't, just to clarify). 

**Chapter Five:** Harry turns Six.

Draco looked around his surroundings, his robes fluttering madly behind him in the raging and howling wind that made him cover his ears because of the sound.  It was strange, for he felt like he was inside and not outside, but the force of the sudden wind was strong and angry as he struggled on his spot to stay upright.  He heard several muffled voices before his ears almost popped with an ear-splitting scream.

"Harry!" a frightened and terrified high voice screamed as he looked around the now misty room.  Draco's body reeled in every direction, struggling to see who had screamed, struggling to stand erect and not to fall and struggling to find Harry, his instincts telling him that something was wrong.  Something was terribly and horribly wrong.  

He heard a small high-pitched scream that could have only came from a child in pain or in agony or probably being scared out of its wits.  He started looking around hastily, trying to find out where the hell those screams were coming from.  He looked left and right, the windows he caught sight off were broken and had sharp edges that gleamed madly in the suspicious light.

The wind was howling in the small-enclosed room he was in and he was desperately waving his arms about trying to feel something before him since a fog had started.  Whiffing away some of the smoke, haze and mist, his eyes caught hold of something red.  He was staring at a girl.  A red haired girl with a head girl badge, her face distraught and twisted up horribly.  Her eyes… they were green.  

"Harry!  No, leave my baby alone!" She screamed helplessly as she waved her arms trying to grasp hold of something.  Her body was bloodied up from abuse or from a fight, it seemed, and her face was twisted up horribly in a frightened manner.  Draco looked to where her gaze was and his stomach lurched as he fell to the floor because of the wind.  He hit the hard wooden floor with such force that he felt a pain surge his tailbone as he gasped in incredible pain. 

He opened his eyes suddenly when he heard the woman scream again and he was faced looking at a horrible white human creature standing before him.  He looked more closely and almost screamed himself when he found out he was staring at only himself.  Everything was the same except he was clad in black, his face bloodied as he held Harry in his arms.  A scared looking Harry.  A baby Harry.  A face that looked so familiar but yet so horribly different.  Then as he looked at himself in the eyes, he only saw heated malice, cold heart stone made from the elixirs from hell. 

Harry looked right at him as soon as he looked at himself in the black robes and he screamed, "Draco!"

He saw Harry next, scared and screaming, writhing against his evil self before, suddenly, Harry stopped moving all together and his evil twin's lips quirked upwards in a malicious smile as everything became red.

----------

Draco sat up quickly in his bed with beads of sweat sliding down his forehead and some of his blonde mused-up-hair stuck to his brow.  He was sub-consciously aware of his hands that were shaking while clutching the duvet as he gulped loudly in his dry throat.  He let out a shaky breath as he looked around the dim room; scarcely noticing some of the suns rays seeping through his windows and lighting the carpeted floor.  He unsteadily brought his wrist close to his face so that he could see what time it was – it was six thirty A.M.

He almost jumped a mile high when he felt something tremble beside him under the covers, and he slowly lifted the duvet to reveal a shaking black-haired boy.  His gaze instantly caught hold of Harry's bright green eyes and his brow furrowed as he saw thin and wet streaks of tears on Harry's cheeks.  

[Oh bloody hell…] he thought as he remembered the stillness in the boy-who-lived in his dreams.  The eerie stillness that only contemplated one thing – death.  He was watching Harry's face as the boy blinked several times so his eyes could be adjusted to the dim light.  

"What happened?" the Slytherin asked quietly as the boy wiped his tears away and started to curl into a ball beside him, bringing some of the blankets in his embrace.  He moved his hand to wipe something off Harry's face what remarkably looked like glass from the shimmer of it but it was just a shiny piece of plastic.  The Gryffindor moved back from his touch quickly as if his hand was scorned, he scooted far away from the blonde boy as possible and stayed curled up at the edge of the bed.  

Draco's eyebrows furrowed even more as he looked over Harry's face that was scrounged up.  There was no mistaking that emotion – the emotion of fear that was plastered all over the youth.

"Potter…" The Slytherin started out to say – to tell the boy that nothing really was a matter, but he didn't continue to voice out his thoughts as he watched the boy intently and heard Harry's whisper, "I had a bad dream, Draco."

The Slytherin watched as Harry curled up into an even tighter ball and the small boyish hands reached down to this waist and pulled up the blanket past his eyes so that only his raven hair was showing at the top.  

He saw the duvet shake slightly and he instantly knew Harry was crying.  What also assisted his assumption was that he heard a pathetic sniffle and exhausted sigh.   Wiping the sweat that was still on his fore head, he couldn't help but wonder if Harry and him had the same dream – he was guessing so -, but his thoughts were maneuvered when he heard another small sniffle underneath his blankets.

[Damit, Potter is going to get _snot_ on my _bed_…] he thought to himself as he looked away.  He knew he was being a bit selfish thinking that, after all, that dream looked so real and it was so vivid and fresh on his mind that he couldn't help the fast beating of his heart when he remembered traces of it.  He sighed heavily when he felt the bed vibrate slightly; no doubt Harry was shaking and crying at the same time.  

Slowly, without turning his body all the way, he let his hand hover above the shaking lump on the bed before he his hand started to gently stroke the trembling covers.  Hard enough for Harry to feel it and calm down, soft enough not to hurt the six year old.  

The vibration eventually stopped after a while – Draco repeated his actions again and again until he felt the boy below his hand stop shaking.  He instantly knew Harry had fallen asleep.   

Knowing he himself couldn't fall back asleep after that traumatizing dream, he carefully and silently made his way to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for the day, mentally telling himself that he should wake the Gryffindor boy later to make him take a shower also.

As he was waiting for the water to turn warm, his mind wandered and he began to remember the slight differences in Harry's appearance – yet again.   Harry, of course, had grown a bit; his black hair still messed up comically, his body fit his age, as his voice was still slightly high – Draco imagined – after all, he only heard the whisper of the frightened boy in his bed.  

Yet, he couldn't help but wonder what Harry's dream was about… was it the same as his?  He didn't know.  He probably suspected it was considering that Harry and him were somewhat linked by the potion.  

He almost slipped when he put his right foot in the shower, hissing slightly as he felt the water was a bit too hot for that early in the morning, but he got accustomed to it quickly.  He tried not to think of the crying face of the youth as well as the bed sheets that had to be washed because of the tears and saliva.  

Draco's stared blankly at the bathroom wall tiles in front of him suddenly remembering that _Harry_ was sleeping in his bed again.  And for once, he didn't really care.

He got dressed slowly as his mind never wavered from that dream because _he couldn't stop thinking about it_ and stepped out of the bathroom, shivering when he felt the cooler temperatures hit his body.  Without looking to the bed and maneuvering his way to the laundry basket, he felt Harry's observant gaze on his back.    

"Potter, I know you are awake," Draco said simply before he turned around and caught a glimpse of the boy's green eyes before it was covered again by the duvet.  Harry's hands were visible at the top but his hair was completely gone under the blankets.  Draco almost rolled his eyes before he stopped himself, considering for a moment that probably Harry was still scared of him or that the boy remembered the dream.  [Not that I really care, though.] He thought to himself.  

Walking over to the Gryffindor boy, he pulled the blankets down and away from the boy's grasp.  Harry's eyes widened immediately before he sat up and scooted away a bit from the Slytherin and not looking at anything but his lap.  

Quietly, Draco asked, "What did you dream about, Potter?" he voiced his thoughts finally as he felt he had the right to ask.  

Harry didn't move, he didn't look up at Draco or make any indication that he was about to say something.  Draco placed his hand on the boy's shoulder gently, aware of the tenseness as soon as he touched it.  He hoped Harry didn't already forget it, but he highly doubted that.  

"I dreamed that you picked me up and told me everything was going to be okay and… and that you were dressed in black and that… you liked me and that you would never leave me and then you patted my hair and you held my hand and then you showed me this woman and-," he said this all very fast and then he was interrupted by the Slytherin's sharp voice.

"Woman?" Draco asked quickly.  Harry nodded, his eyes widening but he didn't say anything.  Draco continued, "Do you know who she was?"

Aside from listening to Harry's voice he remembered the woman quite well.  Harry didn't answer for a while.  He just stared at the blankets.  Softly, "No.  I don't.  I have never seen her before."

Draco looked at him for a bit, then nodded.  "Continue then…"

Harry looked up at him blankly, "What?"

Draco sighed impatiently and looked at his watch, "I meant continue with what you saw.  After the woman."

Harry stayed silent for a while, and snapped back into attention when Draco sighed edgily.  "You said to the woman you would take care of me and help me and then the woman tried to hold me… then…" he trailed off in a whisper but continued shortly, "Then you hit her.  You hit me…" he started to cry slowly, hot tears trailing down his face and dripping into the bed sheets but he didn't move from his spot, "You hit me hard and it hurt."

He didn't continue after that – and frankly, Draco wasn't sure he wanted to hear it.

---------- 

"Hermione!  It's nearly lunch!" Ron whined as he got dragged off to the library with Hermione, chewing on an apple that he saved from breakfast.  Hermione tried not to roll her eyes as she pulled Ron by his robes.  

"It's finally empty and I haven't had a chance to go in it _all week_!" she exclaimed, ignoring the look of Madam Pince shot her.  She hastily made her way to the back where she usually sat when she went there.

Ron rolled his eyes and would have complained more about his hunger if he weren't already eating an apple.  He hid the apple when Madam Pince looked suspiciously at him.  

"What are you looking for anyway?" He asked when they were out of the librarian's view.  He was quietly munching his apple and sitting down in a library chair, watching slowly as Hermione disappeared into the section "A".  He shrugged and continued to observe the quiet library and almost jumped in surprise when Hermione dropped a very heavy and thick book on their table.  Several younger years looked up when she did that, giving her a withering glance before returning to their books.

She didn't answer him as she flipped through the thick pages, dust particles flying everywhere.  Ron could hear her muttering under her breath about 'aging potions'.  

Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Aging potions?"

She still didn't answer him as her finger trailed down the page, her brows furrowing together and her lips forming into a thin frown.

"Well?" he asked, a bit more loudly than last time.  He quickly looked over his shoulder as he said that, exhaling a breath of relief when he found that the librarian wasn't behind him.

He turned back to face her, her face now contorted into a worried glance.  More quietly he asked, "What?  What is it?"

"I can't find Harry's aging potion in here… there are several ways to make a aging potion, and not _one_ of them is in here…" she trailed off quietly, eyes darting across the page just in case she missed it.  Her face had lost its color a bit as she continued searching for _something_ that could have been worded differently.  

Ron looked at her for a moment hoping he heard her wrong.  "W-what?  What do you _mean_ that his specific potion isn't in there?  What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"I… I don't know," she said quietly, looking up at him finally.  She seemed hopelessly lost and looked back at the book in defeat.  Ron stared at her in shock as he slowly regained his resolve.  

"Well.  What if it's under 'Invisibility Potions?' and their effects or something…" Ron trailed off and took another juicy bite of his apple.  He watched as Hermione's face brightened and she ran off, not before bringing the heavy book with her that was on the table to return it to its original place.

She came back moments later with an even thicker book and plopped it on the table in front of her, there, she started flipping through the pages quickly, mouthing some words as her eyes swept down the page.

Ron finished his apple before she came back and he threw the core in the wastebasket before returning to her side, peering over her shoulder.  Some of her bushy curls got in his face and tickled his nose, resulting in a sneezing frenzy.  Exasperated, she exclaimed, "It isn't in here _either_!"

Wiping his wet eyes and his vision blurred slightly, he let his gaze sweep over the worn and yellow pages in the index, researching for the word, "Invisibility".

Hermione pouted a bit and sighed deeply as Ron's finger trailed down the words, and he smugly looked up at her when he pointed to 'Invisibility Potion and effects'.  

"Honestly Hermione!" He smirked as she gave him a withering look.

"Oh be quiet Ron.  My eyes are starting to become agitated because I'm studying to much late at night trying to compete against Malfoy for top marks."

Ron rolled his eyes but he knew it was true as he remembered seeing a light shine in the crack of Hermione's door every time he passed by it.  He watched as Hermione flipped to the page the Invisibility potion was on, her nimble and graceful fingers flipping the page expertly.  He absently watched her lips as she mouthed some of the words of the thick book.  Unconsciously leaning closer to her, he peered over her shoulder and noticed the faint smell of lavender.  He quickly moved back when she glanced curiously at him from the corner of her eye.

"What?" he asked guiltily –as if smelling her hair was guilty at all.

She smiled slyly at him before looking back in the book and quietly, "I found part of it…"

"Well?  What does it say?" he asked inquiringly, peering over her shoulder again.

She read from the text, "Constructing the invisibility potion is extremely difficult as well as it needs to be highly concentrated on without any distractions.  It should be preformed with a partner or two.  Constructing the potion is simple, but rarely, some can get distracted and the effects lead into serious damage."

Ron came closer to where his arm was touching her shoulder and read the next line softly, "Some effects from the potion vary on the ingredient…" he trailed off quietly as they both searched for 'beetle eyes' – one of the main ingredients necessary for the potion – especially since Dumbledore asked about it in his office.

"Some of the effects that could happen are that one could loose their eyesight for several years and there is no proper remedy except to wait it out…" her face turned pale as she read on, "Another effect that could come up if one added too many crushed ginger roots – they could suffer incurable pain for minutes at a time…" she gasped and looked away unable to contemplate that _Harry_ could have had that instead of turning younger.  

Ron squeezed her shoulder gently, edging her to continue.  Hermione turned back to the book slowly, biting her lower lip before she spoke again.

Hermione read softly, "One of the other potions that can be developed from it is an temporary aging potion.  Though not always strong, a course or change of direction in the stirring or grinding of the beetle eyes can casually change the effect into serious damage upon drinking the potion."  Hermione looked wide-eyed at Ron before she continued reading. "This ingredient mostly depends on the beetle eyes.  Some side effects of this potion are loss of memory from the victim, plus adapting to its _caretaker's habits_."  She trailed off as she read the sentence again.  She continued after pausing, "The victim is attached to the caretaker, and when not with him or her, the victim becomes lost and frightened.  Sometimes, he experiences dreams, and sometimes, he makes up his own history based on how he was treated earlier, and this should not be messed with or try to convince the victim otherwise because it will not work and he or she will only become confused."

She turned back to Ron who was absently looking at her lips again and frowned.  "Ron, you know this means Harry… will most likely act like Malfoy when he gets older, right?"

Ron looked her straight in the eye before he nodded.  He scowled quickly though, when he remembered the fight he got in last night.

"I guess I will have to tell Malfoy about this tomorrow at the prefects and headboy and headgirl meeting," she trailed off then she took one look at Ron's face.  "Ron, you know as well as I do that you shouldn't have provoked Malfoy!"

He stared at her incredulously, "Well, according to Crabbe and Goyle, they said Malfoy was abusing Harry!" 

Hermione stared at him like he was stupid and closed the book, "Ron.  Do you honestly believe what Crabbe and Goyle _say_?"

Ron stuttered, "B-but… didn't you see what he said to Harry yesterday when Harry tried to hold his hand?  He swore at him Hermione as well as he jerked his hand away!  Plus I have detention tonight with that git."

"Ron," she said slowly, "It's _Malfoy_ we are talking about here.  He swears, he gets violent sometimes but only when you provoke him, but he wouldn't _hurt_ Harry," she told him quietly, "Not physically anyway."

Ron sighed and didn't realize the meaning of that last statement as Hermione looked at her watch before she looked up at Ron again and said, "We should get going.  Hagrid will get upset if we come late to class."

---------- 

After giving Harry a bath, Draco crankily made his way to his next class, Care of Magical Creatures.  He rolled his eyes when he heard Hagrid's booming voice and squinted when he came in contact with the hot rays of the sun.  He inhaled the familiar scent of freshly cut grass and sneered.  

"'Ey there 'Arry!" the half-giant greeted the boy and not taking a look at Draco as he did so.  Harry lagged behind a bit but smiled uncertainly at the large stranger.

"Yeh must not know me, eh?"  His black eyes twinkled as he held out his large hand unsurely to the small child.  Draco rolled his eyes again without turning around, not caring if Hagrid saw him or not under those bushy eyebrows.  Harry looked at the large hand for a second before he moved behind the Slytherin's back and watched Hagrid from there, his green eyes peering over the blonde's body.

Hagrid looked a bit hurt as he let his hands slowly drop to his side, but he continued to smile down at the small child.  "Yeh lot are 'oing to have fun today I 'eckon."  

Harry didn't respond but he gave Hagrid a small smile in return.  Hagrid then turned to Draco and his eyes glazed over with dislike.  "Malfoy," he said gruffly, his bushy eyebrows coming together.

"Professor," Draco said plainly and smirked up to the half giant, squinting a bit as the rays of the bright sun got in his eyes.

They stood there staring at each other before Hagrid finally looked over Malfoy's head at the other arriving students.

"Yeh all better make it earlier!"  His voice boomed over the lawn and he put his hands on his large hips in a mocking manner.  Draco knew already who it was without turning around, crossing his arms in front of his chest to symbolize how bored he was.

"Hello Harry!" Hermione jubilant voice rang out softly as she approached Harry and Draco.  Draco noticed her looking closely at Harry and he was pondering absently at her disapproving expression when she looked between them.

Harry did nothing else but look up to her and smile shyly.  

"Yeh lot better listen.  We'd be studyin' unicorns today," Hagrid brought out two female unicorns by the look of it.  He waited for the class to settle and familiarize their gaze with what they have seen before.  They were white as snow and their eyes shined brightly as they swished their tails.  

Draco watched in an uninterested fashion, pretending to yawn and look tired when Hagrid started to speak.  He really didn't care about unicorns that much and just wanted to get out of the hot sun. 

"But we studied unicorns in our third year!" Ron whispered to Hermione, studying the unicorns unsurely with his eyes.  He still remembered that unicorns didn't like males.  Hermione didn't see any difference as she watched the unicorns with approval and silent glee.  Draco rolled his eyes at both of them and smirked.  

He looked away from the whispering Gryffindors down to Harry who was looking at the unicorns with wide eyes and intense fascination, taking unconscious steps closer nervously as if he were in a trance.  His green eyes shimmered with mirth as he peered around several of the standing Slytherin boys to get a closer look at the magnificent creature.  

Before Draco knew it, Harry was making his way past his peers to the two grown female unicorns and staring up at them.  Everyone watched in silence as Harry went right beside one of them on his right and Hagrid almost snatched Harry away when the unicorn turned her head.  The silence stretched as they all looked wide-eyed at the child as he slowly raised his hand and put it on the unicorn's nostrils, running his fingers up and down the bent head.

"Yeh like that 'Arry?"  Hagrid grinned down at him and gave an expression of relief as he stroked one of the unicorn's manes making the creature close its eyes in pleasure.

Harry looked up at Hagrid and nodded before he looked back into the surrounding spectators.  His voice rang out happily as he continue to stroke the unicorns nose, "Draco!  Come here!  Pet it!"

A few snickers could be heard from his housemates as he felt a blush creeping up his neck.  "No, I don't want to," he said stubbornly, his lips in a thin line as he looked at the horn of the magnificent animal.  The tip glimmered in the sunlight, and he wondered exactly how sharp it really was.  He took a few steps back to show that he had no interest in it, despite sudden his itching to get close to it.  

Harry smiled though and walked towards the blonde Slytherin and before Draco knew it, he was being tugged along by the hem of his robes by the six-year-old child.  "No, Potter, the unicorn doesn't like males," He tried to explain as he approached the two pairs of eyes that belonged to the creatures.

Harry wasn't listening as he stopped in front of them, and Draco could feel the whole classes eyes on him as Harry reached out and petted the unicorn's nose again.

"Do it this way Draco!  It likes that!"  He smiled happily as he reached for Draco's hand and before Draco could pull away; his hand was on the unicorn's nose.  The whole class watched intently and in silence that the only thing you could hear was some of the bees buzzing in the grass behind Hagrid's hut.  Draco could see from the corner of his eye that Hagrid had tensed up, no doubt remembering what happened with Buckbeak in his third year.

"Yeh better back away, Malfoy," he said unsurely as the unicorn continued to stare silently at him, not once wavering its gaze. 

Draco nervously nodded and was about to but he looked away from the unicorns gaze when he felt his hand being covered gently by a smaller hand and looked down in surprise as Harry picked up his hand and stroked it against the creature's nose.  The silence stretched and from the corner of his eye he was aware of his fellow housemates peering over and trying to see exactly what Harry did.

"You have to pet it slowly.  It likes that."  Harry said quietly, continuing to use Draco's hand as the base of his own as they both continued to stroke the animal's face softly.

Draco looked around slowly in amazement back at his peers who were all staring back at him with wide eyes.  He looked around for his girlfriend when he found her; she was not looking at him but rather the boy's hand on his own.  He watched her face as her defined eyebrows narrowed together, and when she slowly looked up to his gaze, all he could see was her cold brown eyes.  His lips turned into a frown as her disapproving and jealous (?) gaze swept over the boy and his caretaker.  

Her eyes made him shiver strangely in the hot sun.  She stepped forward like she owned the place and stood right beside Draco and right behind Harry, lifting her nose in a superior fashion.  No one said a word as she did so.  

"I want to pet the beast," she said loudly, her eyes still watching Harry and Draco's hand as they still continued to pet the animal's face.  Slowly, Harry stopped his movements and dropped Draco's hand.  He reached to hold Pansy's hand so they could stroke it together, but she pulled her hand back quickly from his fingers and put it on the unicorn's face without hesitation.

As soon as she did that though, the unicorn stomped its feet and turned completely away from her and the next thing Draco was looking at the side of the unicorns rear which was facing Pansy.

The whole class laughed loudly and Draco turned away so Pansy couldn't see his smirk.  Even Hagrid's chuckling could be heard among the seventh year's chuckles.  

"It doesn't like you to pet it!"  Harry's voice rang out angrily as the laughing subsided.  Draco stared at the boy closely as Pansy looked down to him hatefully.

"Yes it does, you are just too stupid to realize that Potter," she hissed quietly and Draco was the only one to hear that apparently because he realized seconds later if someone else heard it, Pansy would be on her back with several angry Gryffindors on her.

"I am not stupid!" Harry's hurt voice shouted up at her.  His small hands clenched together and he stood tall and proud and _brave_ – Draco noticed – when she talked to him.  

Pansy tensed up suddenly and the blonde Slytherin was frightened for a moment that she would go ballistic, but all she did was turn around on her heels and walk away.  And all Draco would do was stare at her retreating back while feeling Harry's anger and hurt radiated off the boy's body.

---------

Draco slowly walked to the Potion's classroom around ten o'clock at night with Harry as his companion.  He groaned inwardly when he remembered he had a detention tonight and wasn't happy at all remembering that he had to share it with Ron.  He was about to leave Harry with Hermione but thought better of it and realized he could probably taunt Ron about Harry liking him better – or possibly, need a companion while scrubbing.  

"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Snape's voiced drawled out as Draco entered the class.  He looked at Ron quickly before he returned his gaze to his professors.  The air was cool in the room, he noted.  

"Good evening, Sir," he said respectfully as he approached Snape's table.  He did notice Ron's scowl as he spoke to Professor Snape.  He closely observed Snape's face hoping he could get out of his punishment, but Snape's expression was unwavering.  

"Seems like you brought Potter there," Snape said quickly as he looked up at the hiding figure.  Draco rolled his eyes when Harry looked up at him from behind him.  

"I had no choice," Draco drawled out and shrugged. [Actually, I did have a choice, but why tell him that?]

"You could have given him to Hermione!  She's his caretaker too and you know that!" Ron burst out, his fists clenched into balls as he narrowed his eyes angrily at the blonde Slytherin.

"Mr. Weasley, please do not shout in my classroom," Snape glared at him for a moment before flipping through some important looking documents.  He looked more tired than usual, his eyes were dark and his face was a bit pale.  

"What?  And miss out a chance to spend time with Potter?  You must be joking, Weasley," Draco sneered as he said that and noticed Professor Snape's smirk as the potion's professor was bent over his desk glancing at more of his papers.  

Both Ron and Draco watched as Snape stood up and came around his massive desk to both of them and he both handed them two toothbrushes with a sneer.  "Get to work you two.  I want this classroom scrubbed, and I don't care if it takes all night," he smirked at Ron's widened eyes and Draco's disbelieving stare.

"B-but sir!  I have a test in Transfiguration tomorrow," Draco whined but stopped as Snape sent him an icy glare.  He was aware of Harry's eyes zooming around the classroom and watching as the three of the adults talked.  

"As far as I know, I have talked to Professor McGonagall and she said that all you are going to do is seatwork. Please do not tempt to make me take off more points, Mr. Malfoy; you already have disgraced the Slytherin house yesterday by letting a Gryffindor provoke you.  You know better than that," Snape narrowed his eyes when Draco was about to retort.

"Water and soap are over there," Snape pointed to the bucket beside one of the student's desk.  

He left seconds later to his personal chambers when neither the Slytherin nor the Gryffindor Redhead said a word.  They stood there glaring at each other in the cool air but Draco looked down when he felt Harry tap his arm.

"What Potter?" He drawled out as he looked down to the boy.

"I will help you!" Harry's squeaky voice called out.  His stance was eager as he bounced a bit in his place, his eyes still darting around the room.  

Draco smirked again as Ron stared at Harry with an incredulous gaze.  "See Weasley?  Potter likes me more," he chuckled as Ron's fists unconsciously clenched together.

"Sod off Malfoy, you know as well as I do that he's under a potion," Ron's voice grumbled as he started moving to his personal bucket of soap and water.

Draco smiled nastily as he followed the red head; "Yes, but how come he picked me over you now?  Hm?  He finally picked the better man."

"I said.  Sod.  Off." Ron's face was now getting as his hair as he carried his bucket to the opposite side of the room, not glancing at Harry or Draco once.  Draco watched as Ron dropped down on his knees grumpily and putting down the bucket crankily.  Harry was just staring at him with no readable expression on his face.  

"I remember this place, Draco…" Harry said quietly as he turned around and looked up at the Slytherin.  Draco watched him for a second and wondered what he was talking about before he remembered the first day in which Harry took the aging potion.  

Draco smirked as he picked up his own bucket of water and went to the other side of the room, making sure to take off his robes and pull up his pants as he got on his knees and started to scrub.

"I bet you are used to this Weasley," he drawled out non-to-quietly as Harry kneeled beside him looking at him and Ron across the room with curiosity, "Doing peasant work to maintain your family's _generous_ income." He said sarcastically.  

Across the room, Ron gritted his teeth angrily and continued to scrub rather harshly, grinding the toothbrush's brittles against the stone cold hard floor.  When Ron didn't answer, Draco continued, "Maybe I should let Potter do this after all, considering that he proposed to do it to his _favorite_ person."

Harry looked at him when he heard his name but continued to watch as the Slytherin started to scrub.  "I can help!" he said quietly as his fingers fidgeted on his lap.  

Draco sneered and got out his wand and with a muttered word he sent a textbook flying to him.  He transfigured the textbook to a toothbrush and gave it to Harry, sneering at him.

"Since you want to help so badly Potter, get to work," he bent over and started to scrub quicker, wanting to get out of here as fast as he could.  Harry eagerly got to work and seconds after he started he started to hum loudly.  He was brushing to the rhythm of his humming and shook his head several times.  

Draco stopped scrubbing instantly and looked at the small Gryffindor boy.  Quietly he asked, "Where did you learn that song, Potter?" 

Harry smiled up at him and said, "You!  You taught me, remember?" he gave another joyful smile as he continued to sing the old lullaby Draco had sang to him when he was still a toddler.

Draco heard Ron's scoff across the room but got back to work seconds later, working in silence now and listening to the small boy's hum.

----------- 

When Draco finally got back to his room, he was exhausted and carrying the tired child didn't help a bit.  It was twelve fifteen when he arrived back in his head boy's room and it wasn't long compared to Ron – considering Ron was still in there scrubbing.  Ron supposedly stayed a bit longer considering that he didn't have a small Gryffindor helper like Draco had.

He placed Harry on the Gryffindor's cot and got ready to bed after taking a nice and long hot shower.  When he came out of the bathroom he glared at the boy who was now curled up under his own blankets in his own bed.  

Letting out an exhausted breath, he said in an annoyed tone, "Potter.  When will you learn that this is not your bed and _that_," he pointed to the cot with his long pointer finger, "Is your bed?"

Harry uncertainly smiled up at him.  "Well, can I sleep here tonight?"  And he added after a while, "Please?"

Draco looked evenly at the boy and still kept his pointer finger pointing to the boy's cot.  "No.  Go back to your own bed.  Now." He said the last word with authority as he watched Harry scramble off his bed slowly.

Before Harry climbed up on his own bed, Draco illuminated the lights and lay down on his bed tiredly and appreciatively.  He was in the moment of going to sleep right away when he heard rustling across the room and a soft voice rang into the darkened head boy area, "Draco?"

Draco turned over on his stomach and grumpily replied into the pillow, "What Potter?"  He was so close to falling asleep that he almost did but didn't when Harry answered quietly, "Why do you call me Potter?"

Draco sighed into his pillow wishing for sleep to take him over right now when he hastily and groggily replied, "Because it's your name.  Go to sleep."

"But Granger and Weasley calls me Harry.  Why don't you call me Harry?"

Draco released a frustrated sigh into his pillow, "Because I always called you Potter and always will.  Go to sleep."

He knew Harry was going to ask another question as the sheets rustled across the room.  He waited impatiently, sleep almost claiming him when Harry asked, "Can you call me Harry?"

Draco's eyes opened a bit to see the moonlight seep through his shaded windows.  He took a long time to answer, but when he eventually did, he answered with a question, "Why do you want me to call you Harry?" he thought subconsciously that the name was unfamiliar to his tongue but it rolled off it like he spoke it before.

"Because the woman in the dream called me Harry… and… so did you…" Harry's voice trailed off sadly for some reason, and that is all Draco needed to hear before sleep finally claimed him.

**-----TBC-----**

**Next Chapter**:  Harry turns seven!  What happens when Harry's helpful attitude gets Draco in trouble _plus_ gets Pansy agitated with the seven year old?  Stay tuned to find out.

**Attention**:  If you want me to let you know when the new chapter is out, **please leave your email in the reviews**.

**Author's Notes**:  Thanks to all of you who reviewed!  I appreciate it.  I know, I know, I promised that I would have it between one and two weeks time but the project took longer than I expected plus I had another one.   I'm sorry it took so long, and I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out, but it will be soon! 

**THANKS To everyone who reviewed! I love long reviews and I appreciate you clicking the little Review Button.**

Phew. Done.  Now off to eat.  

Chapter completed:  October 6, 2002


	6. Harry Turns Seven

**Disclaimer**:  Sob.  As much as I wished I owned these characters, I don't, sadly.  These characters belong to JK Rowling.  

**Notes**:  I calculated some things a bit, and there should be about… 19-24 chapters in all – probably less.  One for each day, then some other bits.  **Everyone!  Read FAÇADE by MALFOI**.  That is like… the **best** AU fic out there.  

**Answers to Questions and Comments**:  The dream shall come up shortly, if not, then in this chapter.  Pansy is just plainly jealous because Draco is the big man on campus and is so totally sexy and… er… yeah.  Harry _is_ going to turn into a little Draco in a bit, but er… something will happen! Gasp! 

**Also**:  Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and THANK YOU if you wrote a long one.  **I love long reviews**.  :: Review Hog ::  Thanks again to everyone who wrote something!

**Chapter Six**:  Harry Turns Seven

_Beeeeeeepppp_.

Draco's groan was muffled in his pillow as he heard his early morning wake up call that was ringing right beside his ear.  Sneaking an agitated look to his alarm cloak with his eyes halfway open, he put on a sour face when he realized what time it was.  He could hear the chirping of the birds outside his window and he cursed them internally for waking up so bloody early – and seeming to _enjoy_ being awake.  Draco Malfoy was definitely not a morning person.  He stubbornly closed his eyes again after several minutes of staring groggily at the white Slytherin dungeon ceiling.  

Sub-consciously, he glided his right hand across the cotton sheets to one side of his bed wondering to himself if Harry was sleeping in his bed again today or whether he had to wake up with a seven-year-old boy beside him.  When he only felt the cool bed sheets under his fingertips instead of a small body like he had been expecting, his eyes popped opened widely and he whispered, "Harry?"

It took him several moments to realize what he has just said out loud and he inwardly cringed.  He propped himself up by his elbows slowly on the bed and his gray warm eyes gazed to the brown door that distinguished separation from inside his room to the chilly hallway that led to the Slytherin Common room; making sure the door was securely locked and closed instead of slightly cracked and open.  He blinked several times while trying to wake his mind up before he shifted a bit and his head revolved to look around his room and his eyes steadied in their movement as he saw small green eyes looking back at him.

"You're in your own bed," Draco stated matter-of-factly as he looked at Harry who was propped up by his elbows, mimicking the pale Slytherin's actions.  Draco had to squint a bit while looking in Harry's direction because of the rays of sunshine that sneaked past his bedroom curtains.  

Harry stared blankly at him for a while before he nodded slowly and turned around so that his small feet were dangling from the edge of the bed.  Draco couldn't help but notice that Harry looked remarkably older – no surprise, but still, he looked much older than yesterday.

His boyish figure was still thin framed and his skin was a warm tan color.  His black hair messily overlapped his eyes so that Harry had to actually blow it so he could see.  The only thing that didn't really change was the intensity of those childish eyes – so bright and it reeked innocence.  

They sat there staring at each other for a while before Harry eventually smiled shyly and stood beside his cot.  "Morning Draco – what are we doing today?"  He asked quietly, brushing some stray strands of jet-black hair away from his eyes.

Draco waited cautiously for a moment before realizing that Harry had asked him a question.  Just as quietly, he said, "You are coming with me to Transfiguration today… then I guess I have to give you to Weasley when I go to the Prefects and Headboy/Headgirl meeting tonight."

Harry put on a sour face that he was horribly trying to control, "I have to stay with Weasley?  Why?  Can't I just go with you?"  He gave a small pout, crossing his arms in front of his small chest.  He blew some more stray black hair from his eyes as he gave Draco a look.

Draco merrily raised his eyebrow at this and smirked, "You have to stay with Weasley because I say so.  Besides, he keeps on complaining that he wants to be with you, and frankly, it's much more than what I want to do with you."

Harry gave him an annoyed look and blew some more hair from his green eyes.  Draco was slowly getting annoyed at that particular repeating action but decided to stay quiet.  

The Gryffindor asked quietly, scratching his head as he did so, "Is Granger going to be there?"

Draco shook his head while standing up and looked down at the boy who only reached his chest, "No, the Mudblood is the Headgirl," he tried not to roll his eyes at that and he continued after a pause, "She's going to the meeting too."  

He went to the small shelf that supported Harry's clothes for the remainder of his time with his caretaker and tossed the Gryffindor his attire for the day.  Harry caught it quickly in midair, and Draco couldn't help but smirk at his fast reflexes.  

"Take a shower and hurry, that is, if you want to make it to breakfast on time," Draco pointed to his bathroom door while he went to his own closet, fishing out his clothes for that day.  He heard Harry 'Hmph' loudly before the door shut quietly and seconds later he heard the water falling from the shower nozzle.    

The Slytherin put his clothes for the day on his desk while he got his book bag ready with some new quills and parchments.  He put his heavy transfiguration textbook in his bag seconds later and he abruptly stopped in his movements when he heard something coming from his bathroom.  

Harry was _singing_ – and not quietly too.  His squeaky outdoor voice caused Draco to look towards the bathroom door and stare at it in utter disbelief when Harry hit a high note, causing Draco to wince.  

Draco tried not to wince again when he heard Harry squeal, the cause of that high-pitched voice was probably because of the change in the water temperature, Draco guessed.  Draco continued to listen to the words of the song and presumed that Harry just making up the words as he went along with his melodious beat.  Minutes later, Draco heard the water turn off and he shook his head trying to push away the feeling of a migraine catching on.   

He could see the steam exhaling from his bathroom when Harry opened the door.  Harry had some blue shorts on and his white shirt was on backwards, his wet hair plastered to his face as he grinned to the blonde Slytherin, "Your turn."

Draco smirked, "You were _singing_ in the bathroom.  You do know that your voice was horrible, yes?"

Harry gave him a look, "My voice isn't horrible!"  

The slytherin rolled his eyes and looked down at Harry, "Yes it is.  The worst singing I have ever heard, and that is saying a lot."

"No it isn't!" the squeaky voice replied, the bushy black eyebrows coming together with its growing aggravation.  

Draco just stood there smirking before he said plainly, "Yes it is, and your shirt is on backwards, Potter, fix it."

Harry gave him a confused look before slipping off the shirt and putting it on the right way.  "You called me Potter again…" Harry looked sad for a moment before he started fidgeting with the hem of his white shirt.  Draco watched as the small boy shuffled his feet pathetically before raising his green eyes again to meet the gray eyes of the caretaker.  

Draco raised an eyebrow and got his own clothes from his desk while giving Harry a blank look, "Potter is your name, and its what I've always called you."

Harry pouted for a moment before he quietly replied, "Well, it always sounds like you are mad at me… Can you just call me Harry?  Just Harry?"  Draco noticed that Harry tried to keep the whine out of his voice but the small seven-year-old failed as he looked at the blonde with pleading eyes.

Draco didn't give a reply as he entered the steamed bathroom and cringed his nose in annoyance at the supply of water on the floor.  

[Well, you always called him Potter… Is it so wrong to call him _Harry_ for the remainder of your time with him?] He asked himself silently as he stripped out of his nighttime clothes and turned on the water.  He waited patiently as the full pressure of the shower came on and became warm before he stepped in the shower slowly, exhaling an tired breath when he felt the warm pressure of the water hit the back of his neck reassuringly.  

[I'll just call the idiot Harry.  It doesn't really make a difference – the kid will keep bugging me if I don't…] he sighed quietly as some of the water ran down his face to his chest, past his hips to the floor where it swept down the drain silently.  

When he finished his morning shower, he dried himself slowly while he wondered again why it was so hard for him to say someone's given name.  [I guess its just because I've always called him Potter…] he reflected again as he put on his clothes for the day and glided a pale hand through his wet blonde hair, slicking it back like he always did each morning.

He exited the bathroom a minute later, eyes darting around curiously just in case Harry decided to spring up on him and scare him, but all he saw was the boy hunched over his massive desk and a wet spot on the back of the boy's shirt where the water must have seeped through because Harry didn't dry his hair.  

Draco got quickly annoyed with that big wet spot that was on the back of the boy's shirt, so he went back in the bathroom and got a towel, returning a second later to tower over the Gryffindor.  He saw that Harry was scribbling something but didn't really notice the actual squiggle as he wrapped a towel around the boy's head and started to dry his hair. 

He remembered his mother doing this to him years ago, and for some strange reason, he always found it relaxing.  His mother stopped drying his hair when he was thirteen, Lucius having told her that he could do it himself.  But what Lucius didn't know was that between the mother and the son – it was a symbol of affection… something Draco rarely got at home when he returned from his third year.   

Harry quickly turned around in surprise when he felt his hair being dried with the spacious towel and looked over his shoulder at Draco with wide and questioning eyes.  Draco drawled out flatly, "Next time, dry your own hair."

Harry continued to look at him curiously across his shoulder before he nodded evenly and returned to his illustration, hunching over it when Draco tried to take a peek.  Draco rolled his eyes and averted them to something else, giving Harry his respected space to draw whatever the heck he was drawing.  

They continued to do their work in silence before Draco got satisfied with drying the boy's hair and handed Harry a comb that was on his desk, "Comb your hair," then, reluctantly, he added, "Harry." 

 The name was unfamiliar to his tongue but it fitted strangely as he reflected on it seconds later.  He looked down at Harry's messy – but dry – hair and smirked.

He didn't see the small smile of the boy as he tossed the wet towel in the laundry basket as he made his way to his door.  He stood beside the doorframe as he watched Harry turn the paper he was doodling on over so that his drawing couldn't be seen by anything as he accompanied Draco out into the corridor.  

And Draco still couldn't believe he had called him _Harry_.

--------- 

Severus Snape's robes fluttered behind him as he strode his way upstairs to the space in front of Dumbledore's office.  He knocked outside of the Headmaster's door impatiently, wanting to get this done with as quickly as possible.  He stared blankly at the door when he heard a firm, "Come in," from the Headmaster.  

The first thing that caught his eye when he entered the Headmaster's stuffy office was Fawkes, who was perched on the headmaster's chair.  Fawkes was eyeing him carefully, those bird-like eyes calculating him as he sat down in the respected chair when Dumbledore gestured to it.

He looked at the headmaster's face and plainly said, "Good morning, Albus." Dumbledore gave him a smile before he conjured up two cups of tea for them and sent one floating in the air to the Potion's Master.  Severus held the tea warmly in his hands as he waited for Dumbledore to continue.  

"Good morning Severus, I trust you had a good sleep last night?"  Snape looked closely at Dumbledore's face that strangely seemed older – but nonetheless wiser.  He frowned absently as he sipped his tea; desperately in the need for something warm to sooth his growing agitation with the Headmaster's cheery mood.  

"It was decent," Severus really wasn't in the mood for talking and wanted to get out of there and in his own classroom so he could prepare the day's lesson, but by the way Dumbledore was going, he knew it wasn't going to happen quickly.  

"Oh?"  Dumbledore said simply and Severus looked closely at the old headmaster again.  Yes, he decided, Dumbledore did seem older – and graver.  His wrinkles were deep and defined, his blue eyes a bit paler than usual as his old and whitish hands moved around his desk in search for a quill and parchment.

Severus simply nodded while sipping his tea slowly, the agitation still there but he didn't show it.  They looked at each other in silence for a minute before Dumbledore spoke up solemnly, "Harry and Mr. Malfoy had a dream."

Severus nodded and said a matter of flatly after he sipped his warm tea again, "They would have had to.  It's part of the potion."  

When Dumbledore didn't say anything and narrowed his eyes a bit at Severus's comment, Severus asked cautiously, "Who else was in the dream?"

He watched as Dumbledore lost the twinkle in his eyes completely and it became a bit sad and pale as he said quietly, "Lily Potter."

Severus's hands unconsciously clenched the cup in his hands as his voice was unsure but steady,  "Lily?"

Dumbledore nodded gravely, his deep blue eyes unwavering as he flicked his wrists gently.  A pale, silver basin about the size of a plate came floating up from behind him and the Potion's Master watched in interest over his steaming cup of tea.  

"This is what they saw," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes flickering up from the mercury substance in the bowl to Severus's sour face.  He pushed the bowl closer to Snape and leaned back in his chair after he had done so.

Severus leaned in and watched the silver liquid slowly, his face concentrating on the sparkles appearing before him.  The silvery substance laid unwavering for a second before it parted from the middle, spreading out and images started to appear.  His face was serious at first, his eyes widening at each approaching second in time until; finally, it was over when the circle in the middle of the image turned silver again, leaving no indication that this bowl and it's substance was somehow magical.  

Dumbledore continued to watch him slowly with his blue eyes, observing him silently.    

None of them said a word for several minutes.  The room was stuffy and the only thing that could be heard was the ruffling of Fawke's feathers.  Finally, Dumbledore said, "Did you see what I saw, Severus?"

"What I saw, Headmaster, was that Malfoy saw himself hurting Mr. Potter.  He, then, killed Lily."  Snape sipped his now-cold tea in his cup, putting it down on the table as he watched Dumbledore's expression.  The wizard's old face nodded.

Dumbledore leaned in slowly, his spectacles almost sliding off his nose as he looked in the silver surface.  "Sibyl told me that they were Scrying the other day," he looked up at Severus, "she informed me that Harry looked in a watery substance opposed to a flat mirror..."

Snape nodded and his eyebrows furrowed as Dumbledore continued, Snape's black eyes shinning in silent curiosity that he often shed for the rest of the public, "Mr. Potter had a vision, Severus."

Severus sneered, "Yes, Albus, that does happen under the influence of the potion."

"And do you know what he _saw_, Severus?" Dumbledore asked quietly, his blue eyes still not sparkling in any way.  He leaned back and puts his entwined fingers on the desk, looking at Severus almost sternly.

Snape tilted his head at Dumbledore's tone and raised his eyebrow, "Is it important for me to know, Albus?"

Dumbledore nodded slowly then straightened his body in his chair, his elbows on the armrests, as his face remained passive, "Harry reacted almost violently, Severus, according to Sibyl.  He saw Mr. Malfoy abusing him as well as leaving him.  You know as well as I do that the potion is severe in cases like this."

"Do you think we should have told Mr. Malfoy, Albus?"  Snape snapped, brushing a stray strand of black hair impatiently away from his face, his black eyes intent and his ears opened for listening.  

Dumbledore shook his head slowly, his features still flaccid.  "No.  This should all be over soon, Severus.  Just a few more days, then we should have Harry back to normal."

He leaned forward again, his white beard almost coming in contact with the shimmery substance.  Snape watched as Dumbledore slowly smiled, the familiar twinkle that was always imprinted in the headmaster's face came back to full mirth while he spoke, "Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter have just finished lunch.  They should be going to Transfiguration right now I believe."  

His blue eyes twinkled and then he suddenly chuckled, putting an old wrinkled hand over his mouth as he looked up at Severus.  Severus stared at him blankly while Dumbledore spoke, "Mr. Potter almost ran into Mr. Malfoy.  Such a site to seem them together, isn't it Severus?"

Dumbledore looked back into the bowl, smiling joyfully as his eyes twinkled.  Severus took that as a hint that he could leave if he wanted.  

"That really isn't a pensive, is it Albus?" Snape acquired as he stood up and looked at his watch.  He put on a sour face making his facial expression seem rather bitter and pale – much more bitter and pale than it usually was.  

"No, it isn't Severus.  I enchanted it so I can watch Mr. Malfoy's and Mr. Potter's progress."  Dumbledore smiled widely as he continued merrily,   "Please be considerate to the first years, Severus."  

He gave him a jolly smile before he looked down at the pensive again, giving a loud bellyaching laugh seconds later.  He didn't notice as Severus left, as he was completely engrossed as the Harry in the substance made a funny face to the blonde Slytherin.

---------- 

Draco continued to stare at the seven-year-old child as the black haired boy made faces at passing Hufflepuffs behind their backs.  His lips were threatening to curve upwards in a smirk as he looked at the backs of the unsuspicious Hufflepuffs, but he decided against it as he pulled the reluctant seven-year-old in the Transfiguration classroom by his shirt collar.  

He didn't meet anyone's curious gaze as he sat down in his respected place in front of the room, Harry trailing behind him noisily.  The Gryffindor boy sat beside him seconds after he sat down, scrapping the chair noisily against the floor and earning an annoyed look from the professor.

"What are you waiting for?" Professor McGonagall snapped, clearly irritated as some late students rushed in the door.  "The assignment is on the board, make sure to make me see it before the end of class."  

She turned back to grading papers on her desk; unaware of the smirk Draco gave her.  He faced the board and read through what they were supposed to do today which consisted of a review, transfiguring a piece of wood into a black cat.  The green board showed illustrations of how the cat should look like with notes of wrist movements and pronunciation guides.  Draco sneered at all of them, already knowing how to transfigure a stupid cat.  

He got out his wand, glancing at the corner of his eye at the wide eyes of Harry, and with a simple wrist movement and a muttered word, he slowly started to transfigure the piece of splintered wood from a brown belonging on his desk into paws at first, then the body, then slowly, the head and tail.  He looked around and sneered at one of the Ravenclaws attempts to transfigure their wood, only managing to give it a black deranged paw.  

He could see Harry's eyes looking at what he was doing, his mouth opened widely as he saw the magic unfold before him.  His fingers were on the desk and gripping it tightly, every once in a while brushing back a stray strand of hair from his face, leaving the legendary scar plain to view.  

The Slytherin saw the cat arch and hiss when he tried to give the cat's paws a bit more detail for a better grade and he just muttered the petrification spell in a drawled out voice when the cat was about to swipe it's claws at him.   The cat froze in mid swipe and its eyes darted around in a confused manner.  Draco just sneered.

"Wow…." Harry whispered as he looked from the finished masterpiece to Draco's wand with eyes as wide as saucers.  "What is _that_, Draco?" he asked quietly, voice above a whisper this time as his eyes trailed up the shiny length of Draco's wand.  

Draco waved the wand in front of Harry's face, still sneering.  "It's a wand, Potter."  He waved it again but he frowned when Harry gave him a pout.

"Are you mad at me again?" he asked quietly, and Draco was aware of a noise behind him symbolize that someone got scratched by their cat/wood.  He glanced at Terry Boot and smirked when he saw a trickle of blood leave the Ravenclaw's hand, falling to his robes.  He returned his gaze to Harry.  

Draco raised a high eyebrow, leaning back in his seat and looking at Harry.  "No…." he trailed off, and Harry replied, "Well.  You called me _Potter_ again.  I like Harry."

Both of Draco's fine groomed eyebrows shot up at that, and he looked at Harry closely.  Both of Harry and him just stared at each other then he repeated himself reluctantly, "It's a wand, _Harry_."  He tried not to sneer when he said his name out loud.  He glanced in the corner of his eye to the cat who was looking back at him angrily, its eyes intent and staring at him like it was going to kill him at any second.  The tip of its tail twitched.  

Harry smiled finally and looked back to Draco's wand.  "Can I play with it?"  He looked back to Draco's face in expectation.  He was on the edge of his seat and blew another strand of hair out of his eyes.  

Draco shrugged and handed him his wand, after all, what could a seven year old kid do with a wand?  He watched as Harry took it quickly, eyes and hands examining it.  He smirked when Harry waved it around a bit.  

"When do I get my own?" Harry asked, awed that the wand felt so lightweight in his palm, it felt remarkably _right_. 

Draco sneered, "You'll get it when you mature… probably never."  Harry didn't seem to hear him as he waved it around vividly, pointing it to the desk, then the chair, then the frozen cat, then to Professor McGonagall.  

"Wow…" Harry's high voice exhaled as he waved the wand again in his hand.  He pointed to the cat once again and waved the wand, his wrists making a slight cracking sound.  

The next thing that happened was quick and fast and _painful, _because Harry jumped back and the next thing Draco saw was a big, black, furry thing on his face, and the next thing he felt was a sharp pain on his cheek.  He heard an animal hiss and he yelped before he acted.  

He pushed the angry cat away from him hastily, eyes darting around quickly before he snatched his wand out of Harry's hand and he pointed to the cat that was in mid-arch and hissed out, "Petrificus totalus!"

The cat fell sideways to the floor, its eyes darting around again.  Draco's heart was racing quickly as he sat back down, and he could feel about a dozen pairs of eyes on him.  He gulped once, and then twice, his wand in his hand was in a death grip as he faintly felt a throbbing on his cheek.  

He heard Harry let out a breath beside him as he turned to look at the brunette, the eyes as wide as saucers again.  He could see from the corner of his eye that Professor McGonagall was hurrying to his side.  

"Are you all right, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked promptly then looked down at the black cat on the floor.  She waved her wrist and the cat came floating up beside her before it's frozen form laid lifeless on her student's desk.

He nodded curtly, putting a hand to his cheek before pulling it away, a line of crimson on his fingertips.  

"You should fix that, Mr. Malfoy.  I would almost say you deserve that for letting Mr. Potter of all children play with your wand.  I'm giving you the rest of the class period to heal that, you are excused from class." She still looked slightly alarmed as she motioned to the deep cut on his cheek.  He could really feel the pain now.  

He nodded and cringed at the throbbing pain he felt, and he could feel the blood drip from his cheek to his robe shoulder.  Professor McGonagall gave him a handkerchief from her pocket and looked concerned again as he winced.

"Come on, Potter, let's go." He sighed as he picked up his book bag and slung it over his shoulder, the handkerchief attached on his cheek as he left the room with Harry trailing behind him.   

He was absently aware of people's eyes on him as he walked briskly down the corridor, the throbbing on his cheek hurting immensely.  

"I-I'm sorry!" Harry huffed as he struggled to catch up with the long strides of the Slytherin.  "I-I didn't mean it, please don't get mad at me…" he trailed off and panted, finally reaching Draco's side and started to walk beside him, his face turned upwards to look at Draco.

Draco just rolled his eyes and drawled out, "It was an accident, Potter."

"P-please don't be mad at me," Harry whined as the turned the corner leading to the Slytherin dungeons.  Harry almost tripped on an elevated stone but righted himself instantly and continued to follow the blonde Slytherin.  

Draco sighed again and whispered the password, pressing the soft cloth to his cheek as he winced again.  He didn't answer Harry that time as he hastily made his way to his dorm room where he could examine the scar more closely in the mirror.  Harry's noisy feet trailed behind him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-didn't mean it!" the boy said again more softly, following Draco into his room as he looked for some kind of understanding on Draco's face or some kind of forgiveness.

Draco ignored him again and felt a slight migraine coming on as he entered the bathroom and looked uneasily into the mirror where the cloth was soaked up with blood.  It made him slightly queasy as he took out the handkerchief.  The cut was deep it seemed, and the blood kept on seeping down his pale cheek to his clothes.  

He didn't look at the concerned Harry as he rummaged around the bottom cabinet for a washcloth of some sort to apply to his bleeding face.

"Bloody cat," he murmured to himself as he found a white towel and stood erect, letting it run under the cool water of the faucet.  He looked in the mirror to see Harry a bit pale and looking down at the discarded handkerchief on his counter.  He picked it up and threw it in the garbage can without a second glance at the seven-year-old and clicked off the lights, leaving Harry in the open frame of the bathroom door alone. 

He sat on his bed slowly, closing his eyes and trying to remember the painkilling spell that he had learned last year in an extra course he had taken.  He was subconsciously aware of the sound Harry was making as the Gryffindor made his way to stand beside him, hesitance and awkwardness evident, as the Gryffindor didn't make a peep.

"Look," he sighed loudly and opened his eyes, taken aback that Harry was standing right beside him – still looking a bit pale, but concerned, "It was an accident, all right Potter?  It's fine, okay?"

"But…. You are still mad at me," Harry stated, his voice wavering and Draco was afraid for the moment that Harry was going to cry again.  

"No.  I'm not.  Okay?  Let's just… forget it, all right?"  Draco gave an irritated sigh as Harry opened his mouth again.

"But… you are still calling me Potter…" Harry trailed off slowly, averting his eyes to the floor, still thinking he was guilty.  Draco searched his face and sighed, cringing again at the throbbing feeling on his left cheek.  

"Does this basically mean that every time I call you Potter you are going to think I'm bloody mad at you?" he asked bluntly, looking at him.  The green eyes stayed downcast to the floor as the head nodded in affirmation.  

"Fine.  Harry, I'm _not_ mad.  Okay?  Harry, Harry, Harry, I'm _not_ mad.  Okay?"  Draco gave an exaggerated sigh as he looked at the Gryffindor boy.  The boy only nodded, and his eyes met the blonde Slytherin's.  

Before Draco could do anything, Harry stepped closer and put his palm over Draco's cheek, which supported the scar, over the washcloth and pressing it gently.  Draco watched, confused almost, as he dropped his hand on impulse and let Harry hold the wash cloth to his face, the green eyes searching his own.

To Draco's surprise and utter amazement, the first one to drop their gaze was _him_.  He didn't know why – but he did for some reason, that the only reason he couldn't look Harry directly in the eye as Harry moved closer and pressed the washcloth to his bleeding face – was because Harry's eyes were so innocent.  And they showed that he cared.  And that was hard for him, because, frankly, he had never felt someone care for him like Harry did.  Even if he was his enemy, even if he was only seven years old… even if he was under the potion.  

Draco wondered for a moment as Harry kept the washcloth to his face with his childish palm – if he would ever look into those green eyes the same again when Harry returned to normal.  And he knew, that no, he couldn't.  

---------- 

As the blonde Slytherin made his way to the Gryffindor common room with Harry trailing behind him passively, he debated whether he really should lend Ron the seven year old.  With hands in his pockets and a clean new shirt, he slowed down just a bit as he heard Harry struggle to keep up with him.

He remembered the healing spell minutes later after Harry had touched his face with his bare hand, and he mended it up quickly.  He thanked Harry, reluctantly.

He stood in front of the fat lady with a smirk, his chin lifted up in a superior manner as she looked down with him in disinterest.  She spoke first, "Can I help you?"

Draco continued to smirk, "Yes, could you perhaps tell Ronald Weasley that one of his superiors is calling him?"

The fat lady looked at him suspiciously before she looked down at Harry.  She gasped, "Harry Potter," her eyes went round, "So its true then…. I must tell Violet!"  

"Get Weasley first, then you can talk to your portrait friend," Draco sneered as she started to get up to talk to Violet.  She gave him a disapproving glance before the picture turned inside out, then a second later the picture converted so that she was on the front. 

"He's coming in a moment," she looked at him suddenly with curiosity before she looked at Harry and gave a small smile.  Harry didn't return it.

The blonde boy tapped his foot impatiently as the portrait door swung opened and a red haired boy looked out curiously.  

"Oh.  It's you," and Ron was about to close the door completely, but Draco hastily said, "No, wait Weasley!"

The door didn't shut completely and Draco let out a small sigh of relief.  Hastily, "Look.  You have to take care of Potter tonight."

He could hear Harry let out an over exaggerated 'Hmph' beside him, but he quickly shot Harry a look.  The Gryffindor looked away innocently.

The portrait door opened slowly.  Ron stood there in the portrait frame, eyes narrowed a bit.  "I _have_ to, Malfoy?"

Draco nodded, then slowly smirked, "Because if you don't, then I'm taking off house points.  We don't want Gryffindor to loose the house competition, _do_ we?" 

He could see Ron's face slowly redden in agitation.  He had won, simple as that.  He pushed Harry forward gently and sneered almost happily, "Be back later."  

He didn't look back once but he scowled when he turned the corner as he heard Ron mummer, "Ferret boy".

---------- 

"Mr. Malfoy, you are late," Professor McGonagall announced sternly over her glasses as he pretended to rush in the room.  Eight prefects (one boy and one girl from each house) and Hermione watched as he made his way to the front of the room to sit beside the head girl.  

"Yes Professor, I had to drop Potter off," he tried not to smirk as Hermione gave him a curious glance.  He sat beside her and straightened his tie, smirking around the room.

He got his parchment out (he always got it out so he could look more professional than he actually felt) and he saw from the corner of his eye that Hermione did the same.  Professor McGonagall drawled on.

--Malfoy…-- he looked down on his paper and saw a tidy scrawl written across it.  

--Who the bloody hell is this?-- He wrote back hastily, eyes darting around the room.  He saw Hermione scribble across her parchment beside him and he instantly knew it was her.

--It's Hermione.--He frowned and was about to reply but he stopped when he realized she was still writing more.  --I found out some things about the potions and its affects.--

He smirked and looked sideways at her, but she was looking straight ahead – pretending to listen to Professor McGonagall and the joys of professional work and how they should uphold Hogwart's maturity.  He rolled his eyes and replied.

--Oh?  Got your nose stuck in the book again, eh?  What did you find out then?  --

--Not funny Malfoy.  Anyway, I found out that Harry will probably take on your habits… I do hope you are treating him well…? -- Draco smirked.

--Of course I am.  Honestly Granger, don't trust me?--

--No, actually, I don't.  Did… you have a dream, by any chance?  With the two of you?--

He looked sideways at her only to be staring at her brown eyes and bushy hair.  McGonagall was oblivious and he returned to the parchment.

--Yes.  The other night.  --

--Mind if… I ask what it is about?-- Draco could see from the corner of his eye that she was biting her bottom lip.  [Probably concerned] Draco thought absently as he dipped his quill in the ink and returned the tip to the parchment. 

--I remember being in a room.  It was cold… er… it felt cold, anyway.  I saw this red haired woman there… I think it was his mother.  When I asked him (when we were awake anyway), if he knew her.  He said he had never seen her before in his life…--

He dipped the quill in the ink again then continued.  --I do believe it was his mother though.  --

--Oh… oh gosh.--  Was all that Hermione wrote.  Draco's eyebrows narrowed in wonder as he wrote back, --… And what is that supposed to mean?--

--Nothing… it's just the book is precise.  And… don't try to convince him of other things, you will just confuse him.  And… and take good care of him, don't leave him alone…--

Draco sneered and hastily replied, I don't have to listen to you.  

--Please Malfoy.  You don't know what could happen if you leave him alone – even for a bit… I thought you would bring him here tonight. --

--Yeah.  Right.  And have him cause more destruction than what he has done today?  No thanks.--  

They both looked up when a sixth year Hufflepuff raised her hand and spoke to Professor McGonagall.  Draco put the parchment under the table just in case the transfiguration teacher decided to look their way.  Hermione did the same.  

When they were sure she wouldn't look their way – the Professor thinking that the two head students knew better, they continued.

--What has he done today?  I heard something happened in Transfiguration class.  Care to share?  --

Draco sneered down at the parchment.  He really didn't want to tell her anything; after all, what happened there was his business.  Not hers.  But he responded anyway.

--I gave Potty my wand.  He waved it stupidly around.  Ended up unpetrifying the bloody cat, which resulted in me getting a deep scratch on the face.  --

He saw from the corner of his eye that Hermione turned to look at him.  He turned his cheek around so she could see the faint trace of a scratch.  

He saw her tidy scribble on the paper.  -- Was it that bad?  You shouldn't have given him your wand, you know.  There is a reason why children with magical powers don't get wands until eleven, Malfoy. –

Draco was about to retort with a comment about how Hermione would know lots about wizards and muggles – being a Mudblood herself but Professor McGonagall called his attention.  

"Mr. Malfoy, how is your face?" she didn't look that much concerned, Draco noticed, but he hastily put the parchment away as he replied in a drawl, "It's fine Professor," he smirked, "Potter helped me heal it."

If she thought that was weird, she didn't show it and dismissed the meeting.  Draco looked at his watch and noticed that time went fast when he was talking to her.  Usually they just sat there ignoring each other and it was usually Hermione who was trying not to glare whenever Draco gave a comment.

He left the room quickly but his steps faltered when Hermione briskly walked beside him.  

"So…" she began to talk but Draco cut her off.

"Look Granger.  Just because we were scribbling love notes," he smirked at her disgusted face, "Doesn't mean we are friends."

"I wasn't about to imply that we were, Malfoy.  I was just going to ask where Harry was, after all, I am concerned about my best friend."

Draco sneered as they both turned the corner, "He's with Weasel."

"Oh, with Ron?  Well, this should be a new experience for him – handling children that is."

Draco noticed that she was still trying to be mildly friendly to him, and he didn't mind that much.  It was a bit weird, but he ignored it.  

"Plan to have children when you get married, Granger?"  He saw Hermione blush from the corner of his eye as they turned another corner and started to make their way up the long stairs to the Gryffindor common room.

"Um… I'm… not sure yet."  Her voice was a bit shy as she put her hands in her pockets.

"Maybe you should marry the Weasel," Draco said, then quietly, smirking, "You would make a good pair."

"O-Oh?" She asked breathlessly as they rounded the corner and started to make their way to the portrait.

He nodded, then sneered, "Yeah.  You could support him with your brains considering that moron cannot get a job to save his life plus the fact that he can stay home and watch your children.  You going to keep the Weasley tradition up and have more children then you both can handle?"  

He turned to look at her angry face.  "That wasn't that nice Malfoy.  Ron is not a moron and you know it.  And I don't even know if I will get with Ron, okay?"

They stopped in front of the sleeping portrait.  The fat lady snorted as she woke up and glared at Draco and Hermione sleepily.  Hermione whispered the password as she held the door open reluctantly to let him in and fetch the child.

"The whole school knows you fancy him, Granger.  Just get with him already and save us all the sappy details." He sneered as he observed the warm Gryffindor common room.  

"Bloody hell, Bumblebore really does favor Gryffindors.  Look, you even have new couches.  This is increasingly unfair and barbaric." He watched as she made her ways to the boy's dormitories, gesturing him to follow her with a look over her shoulder.

"No, it's just that we put a restoring spell on the couches every year.  You should learn how to do that."  She smirked slightly as she knocked on a door.  They both heard mild shuffling and a small laugh before Harry opened the door and his face lit up with a smile.

"Draco!  Granger!" His smile widened as he pulled Draco in by the hand.  Draco scowled as he saw Seamus, Dean, Neville and Ron on two separate beds scowling back at him.

The room was silent as the head boy of their year looked at them disapprovingly.  Draco subconsciously took note at how warm the room looked – much more friendly than last year's dorms with his dorm mates.   Hermione and Harry were the ones to break the silence.

"How are you doing, Harry?"  She asked nicely, brushing some stray strands of hair from Harry's face.  He swatted her hand away quickly, and stood beside Draco.  

He pulled Draco down by his robe and whispered in his ear, "Can we go back, Draco?  I'm… tired… and I want to show you something…"

Draco raised a defined eyebrow curiously.  He smirked, "Oh?  And what is that, Potter?"

He saw Harry cringe a bit and he reluctantly said while rolling his eyes, "What Harry?"

He could feel several surprised eyes widen as he said the Gryffindors name.  Harry just shook his head slowly and reached for his hand, which Draco pulled out of his hold before Harry could touch it.  Harry looked visibly hurt.    

"Fine then.  Let's go."  He turned around quickly after standing there awkward in the middle of the room, his robes fluttering behind him as he made a dramatic exit.

"Wait!" Harry said softly as he turned around and smiled at all of them, then quietly, "Bye Ron!"

And Draco smirked once again as he saw Ron's face shine happily with a smile before Harry closed the door and they made their way to the Slytherin common room.

----------

"Want to hear what we did?"  Harry asked quietly, making two small steps to every one step of the blonde slytherin.

"No, frankly, I don't," he drawled out as they went in the common room, and he instantly shivered and for once was jealous of Gryffindors for their warm common room.  

"Draco! I have been looking all over for you!" He groaned to himself as he saw Pansy's fake smile and bouncy self-stride up to him and give him an exaggerated kiss on the cheek.  He cringed at her perfume.  

She wrapped her arms around his neck and asked in the sweetest voice she could possibly muster – which ended up sounding sickening, "Where have you been?  Has Potter been bothering you?"

He pushed her away slowly and tried to give her an apologetic glance, which ended up looking more like a scowl than anything else.  "You know that I was at the Headboy and Headgirl meeting.  Potter wasn't with me, I decided to get him reacquainted with his morons."

Pansy giggled uncontrollably as she slowly loomed in and gave him a long, deep, sickening kiss on his lips.  He held his breath and noticed she put too much lip-gloss on and her perfume was wretched.  She pulled away as he didn't even bother to respond and gave him a slight glare before turning to Harry who was slowly moving back at her frightening figure.

"You are just lucky that Draco is taking care of you.  If it was me, I would probably rip your head off the instant I was announced to be the caretaker."  She sneered down at him and tilted her nose upwards.

Harry didn't say a thing as he made his way behind the blonde slytherin and looked at her with wide – and Draco noticed scared eyes.  

"That's probably the reason that you aren't the caretaker, Parkinson." He sneered as he swept away without another glance behind his back, Harry trailing behind him noisily.  He was aware of Pansy's scowl but he didn't really care.

---------- 

"You wanted to show me something, Pot – Harry?" he rolled his eyes at the smile Harry gave him.  

"Yeah!  I made a drawing for you this morning when you were drying my hair."  The Gryffindor leaped to his desk as soon as they entered his room, his black hair looking like a mop over his face. 

"We're going to get your hair cut.  You look like one of those muggle dogs."  He sneered as he took off his clothes for the night and got ready for bed.

Harry came up beside him slowly and shyly handed him a paper with some small scribbles on it.  

Draco's lips couldn't help but quirk into a small smile as he looked at the artistic ability of the seven year old.  There were two stick figures there, one with a scar and black hair that was the same height as the other thin figure.  The second figure had a scribbled line for a mouth and small eyes, with little sprouts of hair sticking out of his head.  He suspected the black haired figure was Harry; the one with hair sticking out of its head was him.  He smirked.  

"Is this you?  Rather tall, eh?" he went to the desk and sat down in his boxers and a plain white t-shirt, crossing his legs and smirking at the small drawing.  Harry came up beside him and looked at what he was going to do.

The blonde slytherin dipped his quill in his inkbottle and wrote 'Draco' on top of his drawing and 'Potter' on top of Harry's.  Harry asked softly, "What is that?  What does it say?"

"It says Draco on mine, Potter on yours," he smirked and rolled his eyes when Harry gave him a look, "Fine, fine, I'll make it Harry then."  He crossed out 'Potter' and messily put 'Harry'.  

"I want to learn how to write…" Harry said quietly, leaning over the desk and watching Draco's elegant handwriting make its way to another piece of parchment.  

Draco wrote 'Harry' on one side, 'Draco' on the other; he gave Harry the quill and stood up.

"You practice on this then.  I'm going to get ready for bed." He sneered as Harry eagerly made his way to where he was sitting, his feet carrying him to the slightly chilly bathroom where he didn't close the door.  He leaned closer to the mirror and examined his scratch from earlier that day.   

He sighed when he realized that that would probably leave him a scar.  He would have to ask Madam Pomfrey tomorrow to take it away – it would hurt, but his face was important to him.  He patted his stomach before brushing his teeth and returning to his main room, seeing Harry's body bent over in concentration.

He climbed into his bed and didn't even bother to look at the clock t see what time it was, but his eyes were about to clamp shut when he dimmed the lights.  

"Go to bed," he said in a drawled out voice, turning away from the light that was coming from his desk where Harry was working.

"I'm not tired, I'll go to bed later… I want to write my name."  The brunette said as his tongue was stuck out of his mouth as he dipped the quill in the inkbottle.  He blew some hair out of his face again, Draco heard, and continued to write.  

"Fine.  Don't complain when I wake you up tomorrow." He sneered as he closed his eyes, settling into his bed.  Draco fell asleep that night in a peaceful slumber, the remarkable soothing sound of Harry's writing making him fall into a deep sleep and into a world where dreams almost seemed real.

-----**TBC-----**

**Next Chapter**:  Harry turns eight!  Harry gets in an accident, is there someone to blame?  And his glasses come up, so be ready for that ::smirk::!  Muggle studies with Hufflepuffies that day.  

**Thanks so much for reviewing! ** I got all your reviews and read them all – I was so happy *G*.  I really never imagined this story having so many reviews, you all amaze me :D.  

Sorry it took so long to do, but it's a long chapter, so don't hate me for it.  3 everyone who took time to review! 

Date completed: October 23, 2002


	7. Harry Turns Eight

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters; they all belong to the one and only JK Rowling.

**Notes**: Well, This chapter might not be as long as the last one, so I apologize if it is not, but I will try my best to keep it above 5,000 words. I am surprised most of you have begun guessing what would happen in the later chapters, and I am most surprised when some of you actually guessed it right! I applaud you =D. 

I would like to say RIP Richard Harris, AKA Dumbledore. I was saddened by the news and I felt numb all over when I heard about it. My heart is with his family.

**Chapter Seven: Harry Turns Eight **

Draco woke up suddenly to feel something pressed against his chest. He looked around the dark room sleepily before he looked down at the shaking figure beside him. It took him several minutes to fully comprehend that wet tears were seeping through his nightshirt coming from the one and only Harry Potter.

"What is it? What are you doing here?" he whispered hoarsely in the night to the trembling boy whose face was in his chest, Harry's shoulders shaking quite profusely as the boy didn't answer. 

Draco turned his head and looked at his alarm clock, the red numbers glaring back at him in the dim room. It read: 4:15 AM. 

He heard Harry sniffle beside him and realized his arm was draped around the boy's waist gently. He snatched it back quickly despite his sleepy state and held the boy's shoulder with his hand, shaking him slightly and pulling him back so he could look at the boy's face. 

"What is it?" he asked again, searching Harry's face as the brunette just looked up at him with shining tears.

"I had a bad dream," he took a shuddering breath and was about to curl into Draco's chest again but the hand that was on his shoulder prevented him from doing so, "Please let me stay here," he whispered, "Please, please, please, please…." 

Draco's grip on the boy's shoulder loosened as his eyes closed with agitation. He knew he shouldn't feel this sour at a face like _Harry's_, but it was hard not to. [Just ten more days, just ten more bloody days.] He thought to himself as he cringed when Harry snuggled closer to him.

He sighed as he debated whether he should send Harry back to his cot or leave him here where he could fall back to sleep. 

Before he could decide, he felt Harry reach down and bring the covers to tuck under his chin, nestling in deeply and refusing to look up into the slightly annoyed eyes of the Slytherin. Draco had no choice but to let him stay stationary. 

Draco sighed as he looked down to see Harry move even closer to him and tuck his head under the blonde's chin, letting out a shuddering breath. He could see the tips of Harry's eyelashes flutter shut delicately, but continued to feel the boy tremble in his closeness.

He knew he shouldn't, he _knew_ he couldn't, but he slipped his arm under the covers and pressed his hand to the boy's back, rubbing it reassuringly. He couldn't help it – Harry was just there, _and_ he was shaking. He felt the boy continue to tremble, and the longer he felt the involuntary motion, the longer he kept his hand pressed gently against the boy's back, reluctantly closing his eyes and hoping to the heaven's that Harry wouldn't remember this – _ever_. 

He felt a warm feeling inside when Harry's shaking decreased gradually, and he willed himself not to cringe at the wet spot in the middle of his chest. He could feel sleep gaining on him again as he held the boy tighter, and the dim room was whispering silent songs to him as he finally closed his eyes again and the hand that was absently around Harry's back became tighter, pulling the small boy closer. 

----------

Draco woke up sleepily several hours later, the smell of faint rain sweeping though his nostrils, making his mind whirl and his body shiver and unconsciously bring the lump beside him closer. He snuggled closer into the blankets, the warmth enveloping him and he sighed in contentment. He inhaled the sensual smell again before he nuzzled his face in the object beside him, his breath taken away at the feeling of pure warmth surrounding him completely. 

He heard a noise a second later and then he jerked back with a start, remembering that it was his nemesis beside him, and he felt Harry snuggle under the blankets even more at the loss of warmth that the blonde was supporting. He realized his hand was still against Harry's back, and he pulled it slowly back to his own body, his gray eyes intent as he stared at the sleeping figure before him. 

He tried to figure out why he didn't just send Harry back to his bed earlier – then he remembered… Harry was crying. And shaking. And trembling. And as much as Draco hated to admit that it got to him like it did, he felt vulnerable under the seven-year-old's closeness.

No. Wait. He mentally sighed to himself as he remembered that Harry had just turned eight over night. He was eight years old, not seven.

His lips thinned as he rolled cautiously off his bed, shivering in the chilly room. It always got cold in his rooms, but he liked it like that. He sat up straight in his bed and got adjusted to the familiar air around him before he stood up, his feet burying in the carpet below him. His eyes focused on his window before he turned his gaze to his massive desk, and he took a double take when he saw what was on it. 

There were several long pieces of parchments on his desk, all neatly organized to one side. He came closer to his desk and peered at the parchments that were not there yesterday, and his eyelids widened when he saw what was written upon it. 

The topmost parchment was familiar – for it was the parchment Draco gave to Harry to write on. He saw messy scrawls written across the parchment, one side all with Draco's name, and the other side with Harry's. His eyes traveled down the parchment as he saw Harry's elementary handwriting gradually increase with preciseness with each new name he wrote down. When Draco turned the parchment over, his eyebrows shot up at how many times Harry wrote his name down. 

He ran a hand through his hair as he looked at the other parchments. He set the parchment that he was hold down, and he picked up the next parchment on the pile. He could feel eyes on him as he turned that parchment over and he stole a look to the boy on his bed, half of Harry's face covered in the blankets – enough to show his eyes and messy black hair.

"Go back to sleep," Draco said quietly, setting down the parchment and organizing the pile again into their neat stack. He saw Harry's eyelids flutter shut shortly after, and he sighed as he took out his clothes for the day and took a warm shower.

When he emerged from his bathroom thirty minutes later, he couldn't help but feel slightly disturbed at what happened just a few hours ago. He was feeling as if the changes that happened were so sudden – one day he was hating Harry with all his gut, then when he actually had no choice but to take care of him… 

He shook his head at the thoughts that raced through his mind. He hated Harry. Yes, he hated Harry Potter. But why did he feel the need to pull his boy form closer to him just hours ago? Better yet, why did he need to feel the unfamiliar warmth?

Draco shook his head again and looked at his clock, twenty minutes before he usually went down to breakfast. He went to his bed and ever so slowly, he let his hand rest on the boy's shoulder, shaking him gently as he softly spoke, "Wake up, come on, we are going to be late."

Harry's eyes fluttered open, looking at him with a soft gaze. He squinted a bit as he looked up, and consciously rubbed his eyes as he propped himself up on his elbow. 

He yawned as he looked around, the blonde having taken his hand back seconds before. Harry whispered quietly, squinting up at him, "Why am I here?"

Draco stared at him for a few moments before he drawled out, "You claimed you had a bloody nightmare, and you don't _remember_? Potter, you are impossible, now hurry up and fix yourself for breakfast." 

Draco didn't flare his nose in agitation as Harry looked up at him quizzically and stayed stationary in his spot on Draco's bed. Harry looked around himself in a confused manner before seconds after his eyes grew wide and he looked up at Draco with innocent eyes. "I remember what I dreamed about," he said in a whisper, his green eyes looking around the room.

Draco raised an interested eyebrow but he drawled out in an uninterested voice, "I don't really _care_ what you dreamed out, just get ready for breakfast. I need my daily vitamins and proteins." 

Harry sighed and looked hurt as he got out of bed, went to the rack where his clothes were and got his attire for the day, before he went in silence to the bathroom. Draco sighed and got his new parchments ready for the day along with some quills, stuffing it in his bag.

He heard a thud a moment later and whirled around to where the sound was expressed.  Quickly, "Oi, Potter, what happened?" he said into the air, walking briskly to his bathroom door, pressing his ear to the wood.  He wasn't aware of his fast beating heartbeat or how white his knuckles were.  

He heard a small voice and clearly didn't understand it.  He pushed open the unlocked door quickly, to see a sitting down heap on the other side of the glass shower.  All he could see was tan skin and this mass of black hair on top of the boy's head. He walked over there quickly to see Harry's figure struggle to get up.

"What happened?" he demanded, opening the shower door and helping Harry get in an upright position.  

"I-I slipped," Harry breathed out, squinting at him, and Draco had to get an extra hold of Harry's hand as the boy started to slip again.  He put a hand under Harry's armpit and helped him out of the shower, the boy's eyes closing and opening again, trying to find a towel.

Draco reached for the towel and was about to wrap it around the smaller figure when he stopped, realizing what he was about to do.  Instead of wrapping it around like he originally intended, he just turned his face away and held out the towel, putting an appropriate scowl on his face.

"You should be more careful," he snapped suddenly, trying to get his racing heartbeat to slow down.  He couldn't believe he was actually _scared_ that something could have happened to Harry.

_No, remember, your heart is only beating because if something awful had happened to Potter, you would be expelled_, he said as he tried to reassure himself.  He went back to the shower and turned off the water, then returning his gaze to Harry.

Harry was sitting on the toilet, his face blank as he stared at his feet, a towel around his small hips.  He looked up to Draco when he felt the Slytherin's gaze on him.

"I didn't mean to, I'm sorry," he rushed out quickly, pushing some wet hair out of his eyes.  He lifted his right foot from the floor and put his ankle on his other knee, poking in gently.

"What happened?" Draco asked as he kneeled down beside the boy, looking at Harry's foot.  Without thinking, it he reached over and held the foot in his hand, then looking up at the boy.

Harry tried to pull his foot away quickly but he couldn't take it out of the Slytherin's firm grasp.  He whimpered a bit, "It hurts, stop it!"

Draco rolled his eyes as he told Harry plainly, "You're going to hurt it more, Potter," Harry cringed and Draco corrected himself, his voice not anymore irritated, rather gentle, "Harry, If you keep on trying to pull it away."

He felt the boy relax slowly, and he pulled the foot closer to him.  In a soft voice, he spoke, "You should be more careful."

The boy tried to pull his foot back when he said that, but he stopped Harry from doing so as he held his calf, looking up at him.  "How did you slip?"

Harry looked towards the shower and said quietly, "I didn't see the soap bar on the floor."

Draco looked towards the shower before he looked at the eight-year-old boy.  He sighed and pressed Harry's ankle, holding it firmly as the boy tried to pull it back.  

"It hurts!" Harry whimpered as Draco gently pressed Harry's heel again.  Sighing, he got out his wand and whispered a small healing spell, feeling Harry completely relax in his hold.  It was a temporary spell, but if he kept on applying it, it would last Harry the rest of the day.

"Does it hurt now?" he asked, pressing the ankle again, looking up to the boy who was sitting on the toilet.  Draco watched as Harry shook his head and squinted at him again.  Draco drawled out while standing up in a monotone voice, "Like I said, next time, be more careful, and watch for the soap."

Harry only nodded and stood up, looking around for his clothes.  He found it a minute later, and started to dress as Draco stepped out of the bathroom to give Harry some privacy.  Sighing, he looked at his clock again, noting that they had plenty of time to get to the Great Hall, forgetting that he lied to Harry earlier in an effort to get Harry to hurry up.

Harry came out of the bathroom minutes later, and Draco gave an exaggerated sigh as he saw Harry's hair still wet.  Beckoning him over after telling him to get a towel, he waited as Harry came forward and sat before him on the floor, his head between Draco's legs so Draco could dry his hair.

In a drawled out voice, "You should dry your own hair, you know," Draco smirked as Harry gave him a look from the corner of his eye, and Draco wondered if Harry gave him a smile.

"I like you drying my hair," Harry said calmly, leaning back to rest his back against the bed mattress.  He closed his eyes as he felt his hair being ruffled.

"Maybe I don't like drying your hair, ever think of that, Potter?"  He said Harry's last name purposely, but even he couldn't help but smile as Harry laughed.

"You like it.  I know you do.  So bleh." He stuck his tongue out at Draco as the blonde Slytherin rolled his eyes, giving him a look.  Draco watched as Harry looked straightforward a second later and they were surrounded in silence as Draco continued to dry the Gryffindor's hair.

After he finished, he put the towel gently on top of his sheets and raked his fingers through Harry's hair just as his mother had done to him those long years ago.  Teasing the nags out of it, he scowled disapprovingly at the amount of messy hair the boy had.  

"You have too much hair," he drawled out, breaking the chilling silence.  Harry didn't say anything, but continued to lean his head against the blonde's legs, his eyes closed slightly.

They continued in silence for another five minutes, Draco hearing Harry's quiet breathing while the Gryffindor leaned against his legs, and his hands in Harry's hair. 

Draco couldn't help but appreciate the silence.

----------

Draco rolled his eyes as he continued to lazily scribble notes down on his parchment.  Muggle studies was boring, yes, but Muggle studies with Ravenclaws?  Boring was an understatement.  

He looked out of the corner of his eye at Harry, who was drawing something on a blank piece of parchment.  Harry looked at him for a second, and smiled, his whole smile widening his face.  Draco looked at him blankly. 

Hearing the Professor drone on about something or other, he ripped a corner of his parchment, and with a smirk, he crumbled it.  Looking to his right, where Pansy was sitting, her eyelids drooped closed then sprang open a minute later, he sneered at her tired form before looking to his left at Harry, who was looking at him curiously.

He looked towards the Professor, whose back was towards the class, and he flicked the small, crumpled paper across the room, where it hit Terry Boot on the forehead.  He looked away innocently, but Harry almost gave him away as he started laughing.

"Shh, Harry, quiet!" he hissed as Terry looked suspiciously at them.  He said Harry's given name unconsciously this time, and if he ever realized he had said it with ease, he would have cringed at the thought.

Some of the other Ravenclaws saw the flicked piece of paper, but they didn't know who it was from, apparently, considering that they weren't looking directly at him.  Only Terry's unwavering gaze caught Draco's eye, before Terry looked at the small, giggling form of Harry Potter.

Draco just raised an eyebrow to Terry's glare, and shrugged.  He could see from the corner of his eye that Pansy had perked up slightly, along with the rest of the drowning Slytherin's.  The Professor was still oblivious.  

Draco watched as Harry squinted slightly, looking around for something, before he found what he was looking for (a quill), and wrote something on the paper.  Draco smirked as Harry passed it along to him under the table, and he could feel Pansy shift closer to him.

He looked up to see the Professor bending over to get a piece of chalk, and he quickly unfolded the note.  He looked up to Harry's boyish face when he read what was on the note, before he reread it again.

'Harry and Draco' was written on the parchment.  He looked up again to see Harry drawing on another piece of parchment before he felt someone's hand on his thigh.  He nearly jumped as he turned quickly to his girlfriend's face, a cruel smirk on her face.

"Stop it!" he hissed to her, and several heads turned around to see what he was talking about.  Pansy's hand stayed stationary but she frowned upon his hiss.  

"He said stop it!" a voice rang clear through out the scribbling of parchments, and it was loud enough for everyone – including the professor – to turn around and look at them both.  Draco felt Pansy's hand leave his thigh, but instead of her looking at the Professor, she was looking very hatefully at Harry Potter, who was looking with equal hatred back at her.

"Is there a problem, _children_?" the Professor said calmly, crossing her hands in front of her chest.  She emphasized 'children', looking from Draco to Harry both with an unwavering gaze.

Draco looked between the icy glares of both of the people sitting beside him, feeling the curious gazes upon his back from his fellow house and also from the Ravenclaws.  He cleared his throat and shook his head, drawling out, "No, there is no problem."

The professor kept her gaze on them a minute longer before returning to the board, writing their homework as the class was about to leave.  Draco looked at Pansy who was still glaring at Harry and she hissed to Harry, "Better watch it Potter."

Harry didn't say anything and seemed to cower at her very menacing glare, but Draco cleared his throat again loudly.  Pansy looked away slowly, her eyes lingering dangerously on Harry.  Harry just looked at her with his big, green eyes.

The bell rang a minute later, and Harry who didn't have any priorities to do any work or copy anything stood up straight away.  Draco was just writing the last sentence for his homework and felt Harry squeeze through the back of his chair to wait for him by the door.  

The next thing Draco heard was a thud and several gasps of surprise.  His head shot up like lightning and the first thing that came to his mind was, unmistakably, Harry.  He stood up quickly to see Harry on the floor, getting up from falling flat on his face.  His eyes caught hold of crimson liquid and he walked briskly to the boy on the floor.  The surrounding Ravenclaws and Slytherins were looking at him curiously as he kneeled down beside the boy.  Harry's nose was bleeding, and there was blood all over his shirt and face.  

He could see Harry was about to cry, and really, he couldn't blame the child.  He hoisted him up slowly by his armpits and turned to Crabbe and barked, "Tell Flitwick I won't make it to Charms."

"Wait, Draco, where are you going?" Came what was unmistakably Pansy's irritated voice.  

"To bring Potter to the hospital wing," he said quickly.  He looked up to see Terry Boot offer a handkerchief to stop the bleeding of the crying boy in Draco's arms, and Draco took it gratefully, some of the blood getting on his hands.  

 "What happened?" he asked quickly, looking around.  Everyone looked just as confused as he did on what just happened.  Harry was crying silently beside him, holding up the clothe to his nose. 

Draco barked again, "What the bloody hell happened?"

He heard Harry choke slightly before he saw the boy point to Pansy, or rather, Pansy's chair.  "It's my fault, I-I tripped on the chair and-and," he didn't get to finish as the Professor interrupted him.

"Mr. Malfoy, you better bring Potter to the hospital wing," the professor said quickly, dishing out another handkerchief and handing it to the boy.

Draco made his way out quickly, helping the boy walk and getting more blood on his hands from Harry's nose.  What he didn't see before, though, was Pansy's foot stuck out when Harry 'conveniently' walked by, nor did he see her sneer as he left the Muggle Studies Classroom.  And since he was too busy trying to get the blood to stop flowing, he didn't see her put her wand back in her robe pocket.

---------- 

The blood was soaked by the time Draco got Harry to the hospital wing.  Madam Pomfrey bustled after him as Draco brought Harry to a bed to sit on, and she rushed by his side.

"What happened, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked him briskly before she got out several towels and handed it to him.  Draco sat beside Harry on the bed and removed the bloody material before replacing it with the white towels the nurse just gave him.  Harry was trying to look brave, but he was failing miserably as his face scrounged up.  

"All I know is that he tripped and got blood all over his face," Draco drawled out, calming the shaking boy beside him by rubbing his hand on Harry's back.  Harry was crying silently beside him, making no noise, but every once in a while, he would draw in a shuddering breath.  

Draco watched as Madam Pomfrey went into her office and came back with her wand and a bottle of ointment.  Draco watched as Harry's eyes went wide when she came near him with her wand, and he grasped Draco's hand nervously. 

"She's just going to help, Potter," he started, but trailed off as Harry's eyes locked into his own.  

"Don't leave," The Gryffindor whispered through the bloody cloth and Draco squeezed his hand reassuringly.  The Slytherin sneered when Madam Pomfrey stood in front of Harry, slowly removing the cloth from his nose.  She tilted the boy's face up slightly and looked at him.

"Does your nose hurt, Mr. Potter?" she asked quietly, letting her fingers linger of his nose and press gently against the bloodied skin.  Big tears streamed down Harry's face as he nodded and tried to pull away from her hands.  She didn't stop him.  Draco felt his hand being squeezed tightly as Harry's eyes widened even more when she looked around for her wand that was placed conveniently beside them on the bed table.

"It's broken then," she said and looked towards Draco.  Draco knew what that meant – it meant that it would be painful to fix it.  He remembered in sixth year when he broke his arm in Quidditch, and Madam Pomfrey had to mend it.  He nearly cried at the pain, but thankfully, it only lasted about three seconds.

"This is going to hurt a bit, Mr. Potter," she said while trying to reach for Harry's face again, but Harry scrambled away from her quickly when she said that.  The black haired boy didn't manage to make it completely out of the bed like he intended, as Draco was holding his hand. 

"Potter, don't be such a child, it's just going to hurt for a second."

Harry shook his head quickly and Madam Pomfrey straightened up, looking down at him with a patient gaze.  Draco tugged Harry to him by his hand and the boy shook his head again, clearly afraid.  More blood was trickling down his chin and his eyes were wide and frightened.

Leaning over the bed, Draco grasped Harry by his waist and pulled the boy closer to him, breathing in the familiar scent of rain as his face was in the Gryffindor's hair.  The boy was shaking his hold.  Draco placed Harry in his lap, considering that Harry could fit in it since he was almost abnormally small.  The Slytherin held both of the Gryffindor's hands in his own, while the other hand grasped the boy's shoulders, holding him so he couldn't squirm that easily.

"It's going to hurt for a bit."

"I don't want it to hurt," Harry whispered to him.  Draco was aware of the blood seeping into his robe, but he really didn't care as he felt Harry's hands shake in his own.  He gave them both a squeeze, and the boy's eyes shone with fear as Madam Pomfrey stepped closer.

"It'll feel better after, I promise.  Trust me," Draco didn't sneer, or scowl, or smirk as he said those words.  He felt, rather than heard Harry say yes.    He looked up to Madam Pomfrey and he nodded.

Madam Pomfrey took the remaining steps forward and Draco could feel Harry try to struggle out of his grasp as Madam Pomfrey took Harry's chin in her fingertips.  Before he heard Harry scream, he heard the healing words of the nurse, feeling the boy in his lap give a violent jerk from the pain.

It was already over before it begun, but Harry was curled into him as Draco released the boy's hands from his lap.  It encircled his neck and he cringed as he thought how this would look like if someone from his house came in and saw.  He felt the boy's tears and blood mix together, feeling them both sweep through the thin material.  

_At least his nose is fixed_; Draco tried not to roll his eyes as he slowly and gently pried Harry off of him, but ended up getting Harry to cling to him tighter.  He glared at the amused glance the nurse gave him.  

"Harry, dear, I have to check something else," she said gently, putting her hand on the boy's trembling shoulder.  Draco gave her a curious glance.

Draco tried again to pry Harry's face away from his neck, and this time, the Gryffindor obeyed to his touch.  Harry's face was distraught, but his nose was fixed, his hair ruffled and his face was messed up with the earlier blood.  His arms were still around Draco's neck.

She brought out something behind her back and it was a picture of a garden with flowers and butterflies.  Draco looked at her in disbelief as she did that.  He was about to ask what the hell that was before she piped in, asking Harry, "What do you see?"

Draco looked down to see Harry's eyelashes brush against his cheekbones, squinting slightly.  Madam Pomfrey walked back a few spaces and she looked at Harry thoughtfully as Harry leaned forward, trying to see the picture.

Draco raised an eyebrow as Harry did that.  Didn't the Gryffindor see what he was seeing?  Then something slowly clicked in his mind.

"I-I cannot see it," Harry said, leaning forward.  The nurse nodded before she gently smiled, and she nodded in Draco's direction as she swept past him, walking to her office.  Harry settled back in Draco's lap, not looking up at him, and surrendering to the soft embrace the blonde was giving.

Draco could see the lights flicker and some shadows move against the wall.  He heard a bang a minute later and his eyes caught hold of two worried faces happening to stumble into the room.

"What the bloody hell happened?!" Ron growled as Hermione walked behind him.  Draco smirked and felt Harry hold him tightly, starting to rock against him.

"Potter had a small accident," he drawled out, and felt Harry tense in his hold.  He corrected himself just for the boy's benefit, "_Harry_ had a small accident."

"I'm going to kill you!" Ron snarled as Hermione tried to hold him back.  They all jumped when they heard a sharp voice, "Mr. Weasley, you shall do no such thing!"

They all turned around to see Madam Pomfrey walk briskly over to them, carrying what were unmistakably glasses.  She said, "Mr. Potter had an accident because he couldn't see what happened."

All of them looked to the boy, who was rocking in Draco's embrace.  Draco flushed a slight pink.  Madam Pomfrey continued, smiling down at the boy, "As all of you are aware, originally, Mr. Potter does have glasses.  Yes?" 

Hermione nodded and Ron grumbled, "Yes."

"And are you both aware that Mr. Potter's vision will still remain the same, even in the state he is in with the potion?"

Only Hermione nodded, Ron looked unsure, Draco didn't even bother to answer.  She smiled gently to all of them and leaned in, offering the glasses to Harry.  Harry's arms were still around the blonde's neck, so instead, Draco reached out and got his glasses.  

"Put these on, you can see things better," he informed Harry.  Harry let him slip the glasses on and they all stared at him.  

"Why is there so much blood?" Ron looked nauseated when he finally calmed down.  His eyes raked both of the figures on the bed.  Hermione stayed silent beside him.

"I fell down," Harry whispered quietly, finally looking at Ron.  This time he wasn't squinting.  

"You broke your nose just from a fall, Harry?" Hermione asked quickly, looking at him in a bewildered way.  He nodded and she gave a curious glance to Draco.

"I-I tripped over Pansy's chair leg and I coul-couldn't grab a hold of anything." Harry said quietly.  Draco's arm was still around Harry's shoulder as Harry spoke that, and he involuntarily gripped it tighter at Pansy's name.  Harry looked up to him curiously but he just shook his head.  

Draco remembered the hatred whizzing by him in the classroom just minutes before the actual incident.  Pansy's eyes were trained to kill, Harry's was just being defensive.  He was snapped out of his thoughts by Madam Pomfrey.

"Mr. Malfoy, he has to stay here tonight," she said softly, pointing to the bed.  Some drops of blood were on the sheets, but Draco didn't seem to notice.

"Why?  He has his glasses, doesn't he?" he snapped irritably.  Both Hermione and Ron were looking between all three of them.

"Yes, but remember the potion Mr. Potter took.  Since it usually takes a year-," she started to say, but Hermione interrupted her.  Draco didn't even bother to roll his eyes when she spoke, "His vision actually has to catch up with the rest of his body, Malfoy.  The changes are extremely quick, and if Harry doesn't be careful, he'll get into another accident."

Then Draco remembered something.  He said quickly to Madam Pomfrey, "He fell this morning in the shower.  I do hope you can mend his foot as well?"

Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow to his challenging tone, and he just smirked.  "Which foot, Mr. Malfoy?"

"The right one," he drawled out.  Harry's grip around his neck brought the blonde's face into his hair, and his lips pressed against it.  He wasn't exactly kissing Harry's hair, but he comforted the Gryffindor the best he could as Madam Pomfrey said a healing spell on Harry's right ankle.

"You should probably change, Mr. Malfoy," she said as she stood up.  

"Don't go," Harry hurriedly said, looking up to him with wide eyes.  Draco sneered and shifted on the bed, pushing Harry away from him. 

"I have to go to Charms," he said.  Harry finally let go of his neck and stared at him pitifully.

"You have an excuse to miss class, Malfoy," Ron sneered at him as Draco stood up.  Draco raised an eyebrow and looked towards Hermione, who nodded.

"Dumbledore said you could stay here," she said approvingly.  He shrugged.

"Oi, watch scar head here for me," he smirked as Ron's face reddened.  He brushed past him and bumped his shoulder.  He wanted to get out of his bloodied attire and bring Harry some spare clothes.

He walked briskly out of the Hospital Wing before Harry could stop him, and then, he started to walk slowly to the Slytherin common room, hands in pockets. 

----------

He returned back to the hospital wing with a clean shirt and clean clothes for Harry.  His bag was slung over his shoulder along with all his homework in it.  His steps were slow, and his mind was somewhere else.

Something just didn't click.  Something with the way Pansy's tone was after Harry fell led him to believe something was wrong.  He didn't see her in the common room as went in there earlier to retrieve Harry's clothes.  She was probably in charms at the time.  But the way she was looking at Harry when Harry cried out loudly in potions… Draco just didn't know exactly what it was, but her stone, cold, murderous gaze made him shiver.  It was the same look she gave to Tracey Davis when the other female Slytherin flirted with Draco in sixth year.  

But he couldn't get that sinking feeling away.   His mind started to drift off to his girlfriend.  He started to think of how nice she was when they first started going out – which was the middle of 6th year.  He liked her.  He truly did.

But now? He couldn't stand the girl.  Everything about her irked him.  From her hair, to her fragrance, her voice, her attitude… she was disrespectful to him.  She didn't like him as he liked her before.  She just simply wanted him because he was Draco Malfoy.  

He blinked as he reached the Hospital wing.  Sighing, he stepped in.  

---------- 

"If that bastard ever hurts Harry, I swear I will kill him," Ron whispered fiercely, watching as Hermione rocked Harry slowly in her arms.  The boy was slowly falling asleep in her embrace.

"Ron, stop it.  Stop being so childish."

"I'm not being childish!  When will you realize the truth that Malfoy _hates_ us?  He hates me, he hates you, and he hates Harry.  He. HATES. Us." Ron said grumpily, leaning against the headboard.  Harry's eyelids fluttered open gently before it closed a second later.

"I don't know about that Ron," she whispered, continuing to rock Harry in her arms gently.  Ron couldn't help but watch the tender embrace she was giving Harry.  The warm embrace he wished he could have.

"What do you mean?  Are you suggesting that--," he was caught off by Harry's stirring.  They stayed silent for a moment as Harry cuddled in closer and she shook her head.

"I'm… I don't know Ron.  I'm suggesting that maybe…" she trailed off and sighed.  Ron looked at her curiously, and moved closer to her, brushing some hair out of her face.  They looked into each other's eyes before they looked away, Ron's hand dropping to his lap.  He didn't know what provoked him to do that action.

"You're suggesting?" he asked her quietly, willing for her to continue.

"I'm suggesting that maybe… Malfoy doesn't really hate Harry like we think," Ron caught the hesitance in her voice.  

"What do you mean?" he asked her.  He watched as she looked at Harry's sleeping face, brushing some hair out of his eyes.  She leaned down and kissed the scar upon his forehead, picking him up while cradling him.  Ron caught her eye and stood up, pulling back the blankets.  They, in silence, worked together and tucked Harry in.  Harry's shirt was still bloodied up, but Hermione didn't have the heart to wake him up when he was sleeping so peacefully.

They watched silently as Harry curled up into a small ball.  Ron was absently aware of the setting sun out of the Hospital Wing's windows.  Hermione smiled down at Harry for a moment, tilting her head thoughtfully.  Ron pulled his gaze away from Harry's figure and looked at her, watching as her hair was auburn instead of the brown that was usually seen in the darkness.

"I mean… I think that Malfoy doesn't hate Harry.  Not hate, anyway.  He might like him," she shrugged, sitting on the bed beside Harry's.  Ron sat beside her, careful not to make any noise to wake Harry up.  

"What makes you say that?  Bloody hell, don't tell me-," he started to say but Hermione shook her head slowly.

"The way he seemed genuinely concerned when we arrived.  Did you see how he was holding Harry?  It was like he cared for him." 

Ron looked at her unbelievably.  Hermione gave him a look, and slowly, the red head's mind started to recall the tightness of Harry's hands around Draco's neck.  He started to recall the blonde's hand on the brunette's shoulder, and he remembered the pale face of the blonde Slytherin when Harry said he fell down.

He looked away in his disbelief.  No.  Malfoy didn't like Harry.

He felt Hermione's hand on his shoulder a minute later.  He looked sideways at her, and he smiled consciously as he leaned in and whispered, "Everything will be all right.  We just have to trust Malfoy."

"Trust him?" Ron whispered back, watching as Hermione's eyes twinkled.  He was surprised that the offer of 'trust' between the two heated enemies didn't spark a fire in him.  Maybe Malfoy was growing on him after all, not that he would ever admit it.  

"Yes.  I really think he's starting to like Harry.  Even a little," she whispered even lower, and Ron had to lean in to hear her. 

"Do you fancy Harry?" he asked her slowly and her eyes widened when he said that.  She shook her head quickly and blushed.  Ron mentally slapped himself as she pulled away quickly, hands fidgeting in her lap.  She didn't even look up from her gaze on the bed sheets as Harry turned over in his sleep.

The lamps beside the beds magically flickered on as dusk approached.  The lights were dim.

"N-no!  I like… I fancy someone else," she looked away to the floor.  Ron's insides started to spark slightly at the mention of someone else.  He looked away as well.

They were about to say something to each other but they heard the door open slowly.  They both watched silently as Draco Malfoy strode in, his face blank.  

Ron wished Hermione would tell him who, and he decided to ask her later.  

---------- 

Draco forced a smirk upon his face when he saw just how closely Ron and Hermione were sitting beside each other.  He gave Hermione a look and she blushed. 

His eyes caught hold of the sleeping figure in the bed across from the sitting couple.  The comforter was up to Harry's nose, the Gryffindor sleeping quietly.  

Madam Pomfrey came out a moment later with the same ointment Draco saw earlier.  She said softly, leaning in to all of them so they all could hear, "You lot better go to dinner.  I'll take care of Harry."

Draco shook his head as he sat down on Harry's bed, sitting opposite of Ron and Hermione.  He mumbled, "Not hungry." Madam Pomfrey nodded and placed the ointment on the bedside table beside Harry's new glasses.  She left a moment later.

Hermione and Ron looked at Draco when the nurse left and Hermione softly spoke, "Want us to stay here, Malfoy?"

Draco shook his head and said, "Whatever.  I'm just going to do my homework.  The blood thing earlier took away my appetite," he sneered when he said that, and Hermione just rolled her eyes.  

Picking up his bag from the floor, he looked at his watch on his wrist.  It read 7:00 PM.

Without another word or another glance, the two Gryffindor seventh years left the hospital wing, leaving Draco alone.  The Slytherin sighed as he took out his big textbook for muggle studies, sitting in the bed where Hermione and Ron sat upon earlier.  He stretched upon it, letting the book lay on his lap.  

Then he started to read.  He started to read about how the Muggle system worked.  How there were different views, and opinions with the environment, on the earth, on politics and everything.  

He took an hour reading the required chapter in silence, the light on the table beside the bed shining bright so he could read.  Once in a while, he heard the soft breath of sleep beside him on the other bed; the rustle of blankets, and the quiet snores Harry was giving.

Leaning over the bed, he got some parchments to start writing his 10-inch paper on Muggle Politics, when his eyes started drifting off to Harry.

Did Harry have to go through Muggle things like this?  Did he have to live in this world where there were religious barriers, shameless actions and so forth?  Where things like magic didn't exist, the excitement and the thrill of danger not evident?  Draco couldn't help but wonder these things as he looked upon the eight-year-old Gryffindor boy.  

Of course, not living in the muggle society, he clearly didn't know a thing about it.  There had to be *experience* if he wanted to know some things.  

His mind was still somewhere else as his gaze was on Harry's face.   He didn't even notice Harry's gaze on him as he blinked out of his trance.  Harry was looking sleepily at him, a calculating gaze.

"What?" he drawled out in the silence.  Harry just shook his head and reached for his glasses on the bed stand, examining them in his hands before he slipped them on his face.  Draco couldn't help but think that Harry looked more like the original Harry Potter than anything else.  

Draco watched as Harry slipped out of bed, and started to walk to him, but Draco held out his hand to stop him.  Once Harry stopped halfway between the two beds, Draco reached down in his bag to get the clean shirt.  He brought it out of the bag, and beckoned Harry forward with a wave of his hand, his feet dangling at the side of the bed instead of his legs laying on it.

Harry came forward obediently and Draco handed him the shirt. 

"Take off that bloody shirt and put this on," Draco said firmly as Harry took the shirt away from him.  Harry took off the bloodied shirt and handed it to him, which Draco folded up and laid it on the floor.  The Gryffindor boy put the clean shirt on himself and stood before the Slytherin.

"Go back to sleep," Draco said as he leaned back against the headboard, his feet now lain across the bed, his textbook on his lap and the parchment on the book.  Harry just stood beside him on the bed, looking down and fiddling with the white nightshirt.

"Can… Are you going to stay here tonight?" Came a hesitant voice.  Draco didn't even think about that.  Should he stay here?  He weighed his chances.  If he went back to the Slytherin common room, questions and comments would be asked and said, and he didn't feel like telling them all about his day.  If he went back now, people would ask where he was at dinner.  And, if he went back, he would get that unfamiliar feeling about being around Pansy.  He wasn't sure if what he felt was anger or what.

If he stayed, though, he could get his homework done.  Harry would be safe, and not have to worry about where Draco was.  Draco knew of the thing that if he left Harry for a long while, things might not be pretty.  Draco looked sideways to see Harry studying him, the green-eyed boy biting his bottom lip.

It took Draco a long time to think about it, but Harry was willing to wait for an answer.  Finally, he said, "Yeah.  Just because I don't want to answer any of my bloody house mate's questions."

Harry nodded and kneeled on his bed, and before Draco could realize what Harry was doing, Harry was crawling under the covers.  

"Oi, Potter, get in your own bloody bed," Draco pushed Harry's shoulder slightly, but the Gryffindor was already under the covers, as in, all the way under the covers.  His hair wasn't even showing.

"Let me stay here!" came a muffled voice below the blankets.  The bed wasn't that big, so Draco could feel Harry beside him.  He scooted a bit over and almost fell out of the bed because it was already cramped.

"Now, go back to your own bed," the Slytherin said and frowned when Harry didn't even move.  He poked the covers that outlined Harry's shoulders.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

Draco sighed and had half the mind to push Harry out of the bed entirely.  Finally, he said with a smirk, "If you don't get out of this bed, I won't even bother staying here tonight."

He thought that would do it, but apparently, it didn't.  Harry's shoulders just shook a bit and he heard a small giggle, "I'm coming with you then!"

Draco wondered what happened to the crying boy just hours ago.  _Mood swings_ he said to himself as he scowled.  "Well, I'm cramped up here.  Go to the next bed."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Potter, come _on_!"  He said stubbornly, but Harry's shoulders just shook with silent laughter.  Finally, Draco could feel Harry turn so that his body could face him.  Slowly, the blonde watched as the covers slowly started to inch down Harry's face, to show a pair of big, green eyes and a very wide smile.

"That was funny," Harry said softly, looking up to the blonde.

"What was?" Draco smirked down at him, as Harry's smile just grew ten times larger.  Draco wondered how someone could smile that wide.

"The thing in-in your class today.  The thing with the paper." Harry grinned.  Draco's homework lay forgotten on his lap as he smirked down at the boy.  

"You think so?"

"Yes.  I want to do that too!" Harry exclaimed, and Draco rolled his eyes when Harry blushed.  Draco just rolled his eyes and got accustomed to Harry being beside him again.  He felt Harry's feet touch his shins and he pulled his body away from further contact.

"We'll…er… do it tomorrow in Potions," Draco sneered at the possibilities.  Harry nodded and snuggled deeper in the blankets.  The blonde watched as Harry's eyes traveled to the book on his lap.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked softly as he propped himself up.  Harry yawned as he looked at what Draco was reading.  His eyes looked interestedly up at the Slytherin.

"Homework.  Muggle Studies homework." He drawled out, and sighed, leaning back against the headboard.  Harry remained silent as he shrugged and snuggled down deeper into the bed.  Quietly, Harry said, "I'm tired."

"Then go to sleep, you halfwit." Draco rolled his eyes and felt tired himself, but he resolved that he would finish this essay tonight if it killed him.  Harry gave him a look and turned over, so that his back was showing instead of his face.  Draco stuck out his tongue to Harry's back and smirked, picking up his quill and starting to write again.  Harry stubbornly didn't look back at him once.

Halfway through his summarization, he looked up to see Madam Pomfrey walking out of her office towards him.  He could see the sparkle in her eye as she looked how Harry was laying down beside him.

"Mr. Malfoy," she whispered to him, leaning in.  He looked at her curiously as she brought the ointment from the bed stand and showed it to him.  Draco didn't see any indication that Harry was awake, finally looking at his watch.  It read 10:30 PM.  Has it really been that long?

"Are you staying here tonight to accompany Mr. Potter?" she asked quietly, looking down at the sleeping form beside Draco.  He sneered but nodded, some of his blonde hair draping over his forehead.  He ran a hand through it as he saw her reach down a hand and touch Harry's forehead.

He watched as she took her hand away and look thoughtfully at the brunette.  Draco impatiently waited for her to speak.

"If he wakes up in the middle of the night," she paused for emphasize, and he nodded, "I want you to give him this." She shook the ointment in her hand, her voice soft.  "He might get a fever in the middle of the night because of what happened today – everything being so traumatizing for a eight year old boy."

Draco rolled his eyes and smirked, "It's just Potter.  He can handle it."

Madam Pomfrey gave him a look but continued, "Because of the age changing so rapidly, he probably cannot handle it.  He might or might not wake up in the middle of the night, I suggest you put a charm around yourself so that you can wake up if he starts shaking."

Draco stared at her and she continued gently, "But apply some of this ointment to his forehead and things should go smoothly.  It will seep through the skin and calm the nerves and the potion that he still has inside him.  Is that clear?" 

Draco nodded and looked from her to Harry sleeping beside him.  He didn't really know what to say.  Madam Pomfrey wished him goodnight didn't close the curtains as Draco still needed the light to work on his homework.

Finally finishing his homework, he glanced at his watch again, which read 12:20 AM.  He sighed in exhaustion and put his work in his bag, reaching over Harry to get it.  He froze as Harry stirred, but nothing else happened.  He leaned over Harry again to put the bag back on the floor, and while leaned over, he turned off the brightened light, making it dim.  Getting out his wand, so he wouldn't have to get up and manually do it, he swished and flicked it, whispering a spell, and closed the curtains around them.  

After putting a charm on himself so that if Harry woke up, he would be able to help him.  Laying down, and facing the opposite way so that Harry's back was against his own, Draco slowly fell asleep into a dreamless slumber, dreaming of tomorrow and what would happen.

**-----TBC----- **

**Next Chapter**:  Harry turns **9**!  ACK!  What happens when you get a small, miniature, Draco Malfoy?  Plus the fact that it is also in potions?  What is the thing with Pansy, and what happens when Draco's suspicions are confirmed?  Stay tuned to find out!

First off, I want to apologize for such a long, LONG wait.  Here is what happened:  I had also been working on my other Story, 'A Soulmate's Story' (read that too =D), and upon transferring something on my website, something happened to the disk.  So, ultimately, it erased chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of LOD.  And also, the first part of Chapter 7.  That left me kind of mad for a while, so I delayed everything for a week because of my bad attitude.  The other weeks were because of school. It really sucked.

Okay.  Secondly, THANKYOU TO ALL THAT REVIEWED!  It amazes me that some of you are predicting things for the future, and actually _guessing_ some things right on what I plan to do.  Give yourself a pat on the back.  

**Answers to some Questions**:

**1.  What exactly happened to Harry that got him so bloodied up which only seemed like a small fall?**

Well, if you look UP, then you will see that Harry said something along the lines that he tripped on Pansy's chair leg.  Really, Pansy was the one that tripped him with her foot, and she whispered a word that made him hit the ground harder on impact.  It'll be explained the next chapter or whatever.  

**2.  When does he stop growing and return to his normal state? ****"Will Harry return to normal when he reaches 15?"**

He stops growing at 17.  He lives one day with Draco Malfoy as the 'new' Harry Potter before he changes into the 'old' Harry Potter.  No, Harry will not return to normal at 15.  

**3.  Why doesn't Draco just break up with Pansy, or better yet, smack her?**

Ah.  Well.  You'll see in the upcoming chapters.  He is still trying to figure out what his feelings are with her.

**4. ****After the spell is over, when Harry is all nice and old and at his original age, will he be OUR Harry, or the Harry that grew up with Draco?**

It'll be OUR Harry, with a few changes.  SHH, no more.

**SO THANKYOU FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REVIEWED! I LOVE YOU ALL!**

And also, I changed my pen name.  MYSTICALSOUL is my name now.  Dorothy was plain anyway.  ::Shrugs::  
  


And join this RPG while you are at it: http://www.livejournal.com/users/morsmorde

**HARRY POTTER FANART FOR LOD:** http://thepresence.muddybrown.com/images/Art1.gif by the lovely Camilla!  Thankyou! And http://thepresence.muddybrown.com/images/Art3.jpg by Bénédicte.  Thankyou both, they are GORGEOUS!

**Date Completed**:  November 23, 2002


	8. Harry Turns Nine

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of these characters, unfortunately.  They all belong to JK Rowling.

**Notes:**  Thanks to everyone who reviewed, yet again.  You don't know how much it makes me smile to get a review.  I read each and every review at least twice, not believing that this story is enjoyable.  So, Thank you again.

**Chapter Eight:** Harry Turns Nine.

A rustle of blankets and a small whimper was what woke Draco up the next morning.  He cracked open one eye groggily as he felt someone smaller and with skin slightly colder shake against him, and when he was finally concious, he opened both eyes.  He swallowed and cringed at the dryness in his throat, but brushed that feeling away as he heard another small noise beside him. 

"Harry?" he whispered and turned over, leaning to one side, his hand carefully trailing down the trembling forearm of the boy-who-lived.  He could see green eyes in the darkened room; such penetrating the green eyes, and he glanced at his watch at a shiver ran up his spine.  It read 3:02 AM.

"I'm so cold," the brunette boy whispered and Draco looked up, placing a graceful hand on the boy's forehead.  Feeling it abnormally hot under his fingers, he frowned once upon contact and his brows furrowed in concentration and he abruptly shook his head, trying to keep himself awake.  Harry was turned to the side as well, his front part of his body faced Draco's front and Harry was looking up at him with pleading eyes.  

He kept his hand on the boy's forehead for a couple more seconds, shoulders becoming tense as Harry closed his eyes and leaned into his touch, curling up into a fetal position as Draco continued to look at him.  Being not fully awake, Draco closed his eyes sleepily and the hand that was on Harry's forehead trailed down to the boy's back and pulled Harry closer to his own body, his hand running up and down gently on the boy's backside to try and calm him, telling him in a physical manner that Draco was here for him whether he wanted it or not.

That's when Draco remembered what Madam Pomfrey said earlier and quickly acted despite his sleepy state.  Reaching over Harry, he pushed back the curtains slightly and fumbled around carelessly in the dark for the bottle that was supposedly on the bedside table.  He felt Harry's hot and trembling form beside him as his fingertips brushed against the bottle, fingers stretching as far as they could until he grasped it in his hand.

He blinked a few times tiredly as Harry shivered against him violently.  Almost dropping the bottle as he shifted, he held the boy closer and leaned down, whispering in his hair, "It'll be gone in a minute, let me apply this."

The boy continued to shake, and moan and Draco squinted slightly as he unscrewed the lid, almost cursing as the lid pinched his thumb.  The hand on Harry's back pulled back the curtain again so Draco could find some material to put the ointment on, and he squinted looking for some cotton.  

Leaning over Harry again, almost pressing his weight on him -- and Draco was sure he was -- he sighed in exhaustion and irritation as his fingers finally found something soft, something that was unmistakably cotton.  Retreating back with the soft material in his fingers, he yawned uncontrollably and poured some of the liquid on the material, cringing up his nose as he inhaled the smell.

Closing the cover, he looked down at the smaller boy who was looking up at him with pained eyes.  Draco narrowed his eyes in concern – was **it** normal for Harry to be this pained?  _It's probably the potion,_ Draco thought.

Draco could now feel Harry's warm legs against his own under the covers, entwining hesitantly with his own.  Sighing, and before he could stop himself, he brushed some of the messy locks away from Harry's forehead, and slowly, he let the cotton drag the liquid over the hot and flushed skin.

Harry whimpered slightly and he could see the Gryffindor's hands peak out of the bed sheets and pull the flimsy sheet up, but Draco just shook his head and leaned in, whispering, "It'll be over in a minute, go to sleep."

"It hurts!" Harry whimpered again and the hands that were clenched up in the bed sheets became whiter, the knuckle losing their color.  Draco continued applying the medicine gently against the heat of Harry's forehead, his touch soft and cautious.  Draco nodded and his hand brushed some more hair out of Harry's forehead until his gaze caught the legendary scar.

He stared at it, eyes trailing down from the beginning at the tip, to the jagged and almost graceful line that went diagonally back up, then the finishing touch, one more line going straight down.  He isn't aware of green eyes upon his gray ones, until he looked down, and he looked down into the eyes of the beholder, searching them.  

Now, if he reflected, he never really looked at Harry's scar this close before.  Sure, there were rumors about how it would be so magical when you got near it, how it would make you shiver…etc.  Yet to him, it looked like a normal scar on a special boy, but when he _touched_ it....

Without knowing what he was doing, his other hand shakily slid over to Harry's face, where he let his fingers ghosted over it.  Brushing some more black hair out of the way, he let his thumb trace over the pale scar, and then shivered, unable to control himself.  The scar was magical, no doubt, and it burned like fire in his fingers.  He wasn't sure if the cause was because of the Gryffindor's abnormal fever, or, perhaps, of something else.

He saw the boy's eyelids flutter shut delicately and the knuckles became even whiter as Harry clenched the bed sheets.  Draco brought back his hand and ran the cotton against Harry's forehead again, closing his eyes as his sleepiness was slowly gaining on him again.    Still continuing to apply the medicine to Harry's head, he opened his eyes slowly and sighed as he saw Harry's eyes were closed. He looked down to the boy's chest, watching it rise and fall in a repeating pattern.

He leaned over again and tossed the used cotton and the bottle on the bed table after pushing back the curtains and pulled back, feeling Harry pull his legs closer and entwining them tighter.  

Draco cringed and gently pushed the boy further away from him, the smell of the ointment definitely irritating his nose.  Settling into the bed tiredly, with Harry's soft breathing filling his ears, he drifted back to sleep.

---------- 

They both were in front of a beautiful, grand mirror, the frame large and masterful, and the room that they were standing in enveloping their presence.  It wasn't cold like Draco had expected.  It wasn't hot either.  It was just there, and he was in it.  And he wasn't alone.  

_He held the boy's small hand in his, his touch was gentle, his exterior was soft and it was like an angel touched it.  The blonde boy kissed the brunette boy on the forehead and the brunette boy closed his eyes and sighed.  _

_  
The kiss was simple, the lips were real and it was warm – almost a dream.  The boy smiled and the blonde man smiled back at him. The kiss was a kind movement and nothing more, meant and filled with understanding and care.   It was a calm kiss filled with gentleness, and Draco squatted down to the boy's height and they both looked in the mirror._

_"Who are those people, Draco?" Harry whispered and his small arms wrapped around Draco's neck.  Draco held him in his arms, the boy's innocence was too much for him and he whispered into his hair, "They are your parents, Harry."_

_The small boy looked back into the mirror, and the empty interior of it was suddenly sculpted and the shapes inside it were unmistakably two people.  One man, looking remarkably like the boy-who-lived, with a smile on his face, and a woman, with red hair and green eyes that entered the soul._

_They smiled sad smiles at him and Draco bowed his head in respect.  When he looked up, to his surprise, the two figures in the mirror were standing in front of him – their figures real, and their presence alluring.  He gasped and the hold around his neck loosened._

_"Mother…" Harry whispered and turned to her, where she bent down and held out her arms, bringing the boy closer to her.  Draco stilled and stared at them and then looked up at James, who was smiling down at him.  _

_"Rise," the elder man, who was Harry's father, said.  _

_Draco rose from his squatting position and didn't look the man in the eye.  He didn't dare too.  He could feel James's eyes on him, studying his shadowed face as he absently noted the whispered words spoken between mother and child.  _

_"Draco," someone whispered, and he looked up, looking into the origin of those remarkable green eyes.  Lily was smiling at him and holding her child in her arms, and Harry… Harry was smiling shyly at him while his head was rested on his mother's shoulder.  _

_"You have a good heart… somewhere inside your cold exterior…" she trailed off and her husband went around her, wrapping his arms around her waist and his head was on the other shoulder, smiling at him with those glasses.  Harry closed his eyes on his mother's shoulders, and his father kissed him on his head._

_"Take care of him," she whispered and she stepped forward, offering her child to the hands of his protector._

_  
Draco took the now-sleeping boy in his arms and held him, watching the pleased and calm faces of Lily and James.  _

_The distance started to fade as he closed his eyes, and he still had the boy in his arms, holding him, and Lily and James faded into the massive swirls of dreams._

---------- 

Draco woke up again, slowly, and his hand covered his mouth when he yawned.  Lying on his back, he looked up to the Hospital wing ceiling and blinked several times.  He was warm all over; he was comfortable in the little bed he was sharing.  The blankets went to his chest and his hands lay on his stomach.

He was aware of a smaller boy next to him, and he was also aware that Harry was awake too.  

He remembered the dream.  He remembered a mirror, he remembered clouds and mist and he noticed the warmness that was always absent when he was near someone.  He remembered the voices, almost heavenly; he remembered their faces – faces he had once seen in a newspaper, but never up close.

"Draco?" someone asked beside him, and he turned his head to look at Harry.  Harry was on his side, hands under chin, and his gaze questioning.

He gave no indication for Harry to continue but Harry did so anyway in a very small voice, "Who were those people?"

Draco wasn't surprised at the question, in fact, he had a feeling it was coming – he didn't know how, he didn't know why, but all of the calamity together made him think that.  He wasn't surprised that Harry probably had the dream too.  And he wasn't surprised that he turned to his side and asked in an equally small voice, "You don't remember?"

Harry's eyes lowered before they looked in his and he said, "I do remember."

Draco's curiosity sparkled and he yawned again before asking, "What do you remember?"

Harry hesitated before saying, "They were people I knew before… and the woman was talking to me while the man was looking at you…" he trailed off and fidgeted with the covers before he continued, "She said that she loved me."

Draco lowered his gaze and remembered the dream as if it were real.  He remembered when he was in that dream, when James had told him to stand up, Harry and the red haired woman were talking.  

Then he remembered something else.  Looking at Harry with wide eyed, he said, "Was that the same woman you dreamed about the other day?"

Harry gave him a curious look at those words and he sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes.  Draco watched as Harry turned over and peeked out the curtains, and then reach a hand out and grasped his glasses.  Putting them on, he looked back at Draco still with that quizzical look.

"The other day?" he asked quietly, and he put a hand to his forehead, rubbing his scar, and then pulling back.  

Draco was the one now giving him a confused look.  _The other day… does he remember?  _Draco thought to himself as he watched Harry do that particular movement.  He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, pushing back the blonde strands so it was perfect.

He sat up next and blinked several times, yawning again.  Looking at his watch slowly, he realized that it read 10:45.

10:45?! _Shite_, Draco thought as he looked around hastily, before jerking the curtains open, _we're late for Potions_!

"Potter, hurry up and get dressed, we're late for Potions," Draco hissed as he took off his pants from yesterday, hopping madly around the hospital wing with one leg in the pant leg, while the other was on the cold floor.  Gladly aware that no one was there other than him and Harry, he hastily tried to dress up for his morning class.

He didn't stop hopping around as he heard a high pitched laugh, but he looked at Harry who was sitting up on the bed, his legs still inside the blankets.  

"Harry, hurry up!" Draco barked and almost fell when he hopped into the bedpost, trying to swat Harry out of the bed and get some new clothes on.  Draco didn't see the sparkle in the boy's eye when he called out Harry's name, since Draco was such in a mad rush to get his clothes on.

"Okay, honestly Draco!" Harry laughed again and dangled his feet out of the bed, swinging his legs and looking bemusedly at the blonde Slytherin.  Draco cocked one eyebrow and with one hand on the bedpost, he finally undressed his slacks, pulling the material off his legs. 

Clad only in boxers, and feeling horrible without his morning shower, he gave Harry a look.

"What?" Harry giggled, and Draco stared at the way Harry had addressed him earlier, something he was foreign to listening to – especially since it came from the Gryffindor boy.  

"We're late for potions.  Hurry up," Draco told him sternly and finally recognized that Harry looked slightly different.  He couldn't quite tell what was so different, but his mouth dropped open when Harry spoke.

"Is the Mudblood going to be there?" Harry asked and slipped off the bed, looking around for his daily wear.  Draco stared at him and narrowed his eyes, disbelieving that Harry said that, no doubt about his friends, but that a boy – a meager boy of nine would say that.

"Are you talking about Granger?" Draco drawled out and tossed Harry the clothes, watching the boy carefully.  Harry looked around for something before he shook his head. 

"She's the Mudblood, isn't she?" Harry asked and took off his shirt slowly, and Draco gave him a look for being so slow.  He could hear some bottles being shuffled from Madam Pomfrey's office, but he ignored it as he took of his own shirt and quickly put on a new one, raking a hand through his blonde hair and trying to neaten it.  

"Do you even know what a Mudblood _is_?" Draco drawled out again, and he sneered as Harry gave _him_ a look this time.

"Yeah, it's _her_.  Remember, Draco?  It's what you always called her," Harry stated plainly and blew at the strands of hair that was covering his eyes.  Draco continued to watch as Harry pushed up his glasses, and slowly put the shirt on, throwing Draco a smirk.

_A smirk_.  Draco stared and watched closely.

"Hey Draco?" Draco was startled out of his thoughts and Harry turned to him, holding up the small pants fit for the nine-year-old.  

"What?" Draco asked and started to fix the bed they both slept on, aware of Harry's ever-present gaze.

"… What happened to… to my parents?"  Harry asked quietly, hesitantly, and Draco froze in his spot, looking down at the white bed sheets, inhaling the clinic smell.  Blood rushed through his veins and he wondered why it was doing that at that question – and a shiver ran up his spine though he didn't know why.

Harry asked _that_ particular question out of nowhere. There was no hint that was he was going to ask it, and personally, Draco had absolutely no idea how to address that question.  

Should I tell him that they died?  How?  Draco thought, and he looked up, watching as Harry slid down his pants and put on a new pair.  Harry looked at him thoughtfully. 

"I'll tell you later… we're late for class," Draco said and looked down, putting their dirty clothes from yesterday in his bag.  Sitting on the bed, and taking a breath, he zipped up his book bag and looked up, feeling Harry's eyes on him.

"Will we be able to throw those papers like you did in your other class?  Like you promised?" Harry asked quietly, intentionally not asking more about his parents.  

"I didn't promise anything," Draco stood up and walked briskly to the door, hearing footsteps follow him slowly, different from his quick pace, "But we'll see what we can do.  Just hope that Snape doesn't snarl down your back or whatever."

Draco heard Harry grumble under his breath and he rolled his eyes, making his way quickly to the Potion's classroom.  He was also aware that Harry smirked at him when he turned around to look at the smaller boy, and he vaguely wondered if that was a good thing.

---------- 

Snape impatiently tapped his foot, aware of the tenseness in the classroom.  He could see from the corner of his eye that several of the Slytherin students were looking at the seat where Draco Malfoy usually sat, and he could also see that Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger whispered in small voices, their faces filled with concern.

"Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger, I do hope the reason why you are speaking when you should be working is more important than your schoolwork?" He drawled out plainly, and everyone looked at the two whispering Gryffindors.

Hermione blushed, while Ron stammered, "We-we were just wondering where Harry and Malfoy were."

"And you count that as more important than doing your work?  Interesting," Snape sneered, and just then, the door banged open with the two awaited people running in, huffing.

He waited patiently as Draco came up to him quickly, with Harry trailing behind him noisily; looking around the room with big eyes, and not surprisingly, glasses.  Draco Malfoy stood in front of him, and spoke in a low voice only for them to hear, "Madam Pomfrey asked us to stay a couple more minutes so she could check--,"

But he was cut off by a drawl from the Potion's Professor. 

"Mister Malfoy, do you honestly believe that after seven years of having you in my class, I would not know when you are fibbing and when you aren't?"

Snape sneered as he heard some gasps from the Slytherin side of the room, not sneaking a peak to look at their surprised faces.  What was more appealing was Draco's face, whose eyes were wide as saucers as it was clearly evident that Draco was expecting Professor Snape to let him lie.    But his obvious smirk turned into a frown as a squeaky voice spoke.

"He wasn't lying, Madam Pomfrey did check my eyes!"  

  
The class turned to look at Harry, and a few whispers broke out among the children.  Snape silenced them with a look and beckoned the nervous child forward with his hand, sneering.

"Oh, is that so, Mr. Potter?"  He asked calmly, aware of the tenseness in Draco's features.  He saw Harry look at Draco from the corner of his eyes, and Snape smirked and leaned back in his chair, when Harry couldn't hold his own gaze.

"Do tell me then, both of you, which eye did she check?"

He was rewarded with two answers, one from the blonde boy, one from the brunette boy.  While Draco said 'Left', Harry said 'Right', and a chorus of giggles from the Slytherin girls embarked the embarrassing silence.

Draco tried to correct himself, "No, wait, right!" and so did Harry, saying, "It was left!" at the same time.  

Snape gave both of them the evil eye before he barked, "Sit down Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter."

He was glad no one saw the smile that he hid behind his long hair as he bent down and took points from Slytherin house.

---------- 

Draco could feel his face burning from the earlier scene even ten minutes later.  Harry, in between him and Pansy, was still trying to keep still from laughing so much, and he could see the sneer upon Pansy's face as Harry continued to snigger.

"Shut up, you idiot," Draco hissed as Snape sent them a warning look, elbowing the smaller boy in the sides.  Harry just laughed harder, the side of his face on the table and his glasses halfway off his face, shaking uncontrollably while the rest of the class stared at him with amused looks.

"Mr. Malfoy, could you please tell Mr. Potter to be quiet, since his incompetence hinders you?"  Snape said warily, shooting Ron a slight glare.  Ron started to laugh across the room, but he covered his mouth with his hand, Hermione's elbowing making him stop.  Harry's laughter started to subside to giggles, and he just grinned as Draco gave him a look, shaking his head before turning to his work.  

Ten minutes in the silence and the scraping of quills into the quiet room, Draco sighed slightly as he turned the page, and out of curiosity to see what Harry was doing, he turned only to notice the Gryffindor was giving him a strange look that he admitted to himself that he had never seen before.  

Draco raised an eyebrow, and stole a glance to the potion's professor when Harry scooted over quietly with his chair, smart enough to pick it up so it wouldn't make any sound.  Draco leaned in when Harry leaned in, the look that Harry gave him earlier peaking his curiosity.  

 "I want to flick Ron with the paper." Harry whispered as quietly as he could, glancing over his shoulder to the working redhead on the other side of the room.  Draco's raised eyebrow became two raised eyebrows, secretly and pleasantly surprised that Harry suggested that.  

Draco looked back to the Professor, seeing that Snape wasn't noticing the two whispering students at all, and reached into his bag, tearing off a large corner of a piece of parchment.  Pulling the parchment into his lap, he ripped the paper in two, giving Harry one side, himself keeping the other.  He caught Harry's gaze, and with a smirk, crumpled the small piece of paper in his hand, making it a ball, and making sure the Professor wasn't looking at him, he threw the crumbled up ball as casually as he could, hitting Ron straight on the head.

Draco and Harry shook with silent laughter at the look on Ron's face when the redheaded boy felt something hit his head, and they turned around before Ron could suspect it was them.  Seeing their shaking shoulders and small gasps of air, it didn't take long for Ron to realize what happened, and slowly, on the other side of the room, Ron reached into his bag.

Harry leaned in, his eyes glimmering with mirth, and whispered quietly, "That was brilliant!"  Harry inclined back to see Ron bending over to get something in his bag, and as casually as he could, Harry threw his own crumpled piece of paper, but throwing casually for him was difficult, as the piece of parchment landed on the floor a few feet away from Ron instead of on him.

  
Snape looked up at the small noise, and Draco clenched his hands to try to stop his mad fit of amusement.  Harry, beside him, was trying to do the same, and miraculously, without looking up, neither of them had been called.  Minutes later, when Draco could breath properly, he snuck a glace at their potion's professor, smirking when Snape didn't look up.

Draco reached back into his bag again to get another piece of parchment when he heard a 'psst' coming from the other side of the room.  Looking up instantly, Draco got hit in the heat by a parchment unmistakably thrown by Ronald Weasley.

"Is there something _amusing_, Mr. Weasley?"  Snape sneered as he looked at the shaking shoulders of the redheaded boy, the whole class watching as Ron shook his head quickly, trying his best to put on a calm face.

"Get back to work," Snape hissed seconds later, and Draco, amused, ripped another piece of parchment under the table, crumpling it into a ball.  He was aware than a dozen pairs of eyes were on him, and he looked up, not seeing the Professor's eyes on him.  Smirking at Ron who was smirking back, he threw the crumpled parchment as hard as he could, and instead of hitting Ron; it hit the bent over, frizzy hair girl beside him.

The whole class burst into laughter, but they were silenced by a very, _very_ agitated look from the Professor.  Draco could see that Harry was trying his hardest not to laugh out loud, but his shoulders and body were shaking terribly, and not to mention that the parchment was still stuck in Hermione's locks.

Draco glanced over his shoulder as Ron assisted in helping her take the small parchment off her hair, but instead, it looked like it was becoming more tangled.  Draco smirked as Harry turned around, and before he knew it, Harry threw something, and this time, the crumbled ball hit Ron instead of landing on the floor.

The class was now watching intently as Ron gave Draco a scowl, and after giving the seemingly oblivious Professor a glance, he crumpled the paper he was working on, throwing it straight at Draco's head.

That was what started the paper fight in Potion's class – everyone watched as the ball flew across the room, but instead of hitting Draco like it was supposed to, Harry, out of no where, shot his hand up and caught the crumbled paper, hurling it back to the Gryffindor section.

Laughs starting, and even more papers were being thrown between the two houses on either side of the room, parchments, quills and work being discarded on the floor as students stood up and starting flinging the crumbled pieces of paper.

"Stop this idiocy at once!" a voice barked, but Draco didn't bother to pay attention as he flung another piece of torn crumbled parchment towards Seamus Finnigan, narrowly missing him as Seamus threw a piece of paper at Millicent Bulstrode.  

"Fifty points from Slytherin and Gryffindor!!!" Draco smirked as he heard the loud, booming voice of the Potion's master, but the paper fight continued.  While continuing to hurl his paper at Pansy Parkinson while she was trying to get safe by running to a corner, he saw that Harry stood up on a chair, and with a triumphant grin at Draco, he hurled his own paper, hitting Draco on the head.

Draco gaped at the smirking face for a fraction of a second, but he smirked as well, realizing in the end that it was definitely worth loosing fifty points.

---------- 

"That was brilliant, Draco!" Pansy giggled, tangling her arm with Draco's as they stepped out of the Potion's classroom.  Crabbe and Goyle went the other way while Pansy accompanied Draco to the Great Hall to eat lunch.  The remaining Gryffindor students stayed after class to pick up the papers and parchments, only because Snape had demanded that they do so, claiming that Ron started the whole escapade.

"What do you mean?  You were practically squealing when Potter hit you the fiftieth time," Draco rolled his eyes and casually tried to pry his hand from Pansy's, only to get her to grip his hand tighter.  

"Well, um," Pansy started, but Draco looked back to make sure Harry was following them, and sure enough, he was.  Draco was quick with his feet, for every step he took, Harry had to take two steps.  Harry was walking briskly behind them, pushing up his glasses that were slowly sliding off his nose in his brisk power walk.

Pansy said something but Draco didn't bother to listen as he pulled his hand away completely, and he started to put both of his hands in his pockets when Pansy stopped in her tracks, and the only reason Draco turned back to look was because he was curious.

"Why don't you want to hold my hand, Draco?" She gave him a judging look, and Draco blinked surprisingly before he scowled and retreated to where she was, unaware of the eyes of the Gryffindor boy.  Draco raised an eyebrow as she put her hands on her hips immaturely, and sure enough, he could feel anger seethe through his skin.  

"Because it's sweaty most of the time, why don't you find some beauty product or something to stop that?"  Draco rolled his eyes before he continued, stopping the words from Pansy's mouth even before they were said, "No, seriously Pansy, I just don't like physical contact, is that clear?"

Pansy looked enraged, and for a second, Draco thought she was going to slap him.  Instead, she sneered back at him and her eyes narrowed, and Draco thought, ironically amused, how _funny_ she looked when angered.  

"You're my boyfriend and I am your girlfriend, Draco!  If I was Blaise's girlfriend, he would hold my hand everywhere and he would write me sweet love notes and he would--," she continued, but Draco didn't have the courtesy to listen further.  Shaking his head and about to apologize _just_ to get her to shut up, he noticed the Gryffindor boy shuffling his feet and looking at the ground, awkwardly uncomfortable.

"—And further more, you never let me do what I want to do and you are a selfish bastard who has no respect for ME and… Draco, are you even listening to me?"  She yelled the last word while she threw up her hands in exasperation, before her hands found her hips and she gave him a look of pure venom.

Draco was tempted to look around and ask 'Who was that?  I didn't hear anything', but, deciding to be mature and smart for once, he sneered and gave her a look back.  He was about to reply, but Pansy interrupted him again, yelling at the top of her lungs, "YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME, DRACO!"

Draco seethed inside silently, narrowing his eyes and clenching his fists.  He spoke full of authority, "Pansy, keep your voice down, honestly, we aren't in some open field where you can scream with your annoying voice!" he looked around him and he was thankful no one else was watching them.  His voice bounced off the stone walls, and he looked back at Harry, who continued to look at his feet.

Taking in a deep breath, he said plainly, "I don't know what's wrong with you, Pansy, but you are obviously mistaken."

Pansy laughed meanly, and then, sneered again, not before flipping her hair over her shoulder, and Draco cringed at how stupid she looked doing it.  Her sneer turned into a smirk a minute later, and then what was unmistakably a malicious smile.  Draco didn't like that at all. 

"Harry, I'll meet you in the Great Hall," Draco said firmly, keeping an eye on his girlfriend.  He knew they were about to have a big row, and he was thankful, maybe, _hopefully_, he would be able to break up with her, or perhaps, get her mad enough not to talk to him for a while… hopefully, forever.

Harry nodded and looked at him gratefully, fully happy that he didn't have to watch this anymore.  Giving Draco a pleading look, he started to walk away, but turned once Pansy started to speak again.

"No, you stay here, Potter." She looked at Draco, "Sometimes, Draco, I wonder if you like Potter more than you like me," her malicious smile was wiped off her face by a weird expression that Draco couldn't identify, and he wondered if there _was_ something wrong with her.

"Parkinson, what kind of assumptio-," he started to say, but she cut him off with her voice, "You like that snot, don't you?  You're starting to like him."

Her voice was full of hate and loathing, and…. Jealously, maybe, that Draco guessed.  Raising an eyebrow, he stated plainly, fully aware Harry was there beside him, "He's not a snot."

Scowling, she looked at Harry who had not moved from his place, instead, he was staring back at her… almost a predatory stance.  Pansy must have noticed it also, because she blinked a few times before she looked him up and down, and hissed, "He is a snot.  He has no parents, no looks, no money, no… _nothing_."

Harry looked down upon those words, not bothering to hide the hurt on his face.  Draco felt a pang at that and turned to her, seething, "He's nine-years-old, you half-wit."

"Does it look like I care?  You do like him, I can tell."

Draco didn't confirm this, and he didn't deny it, instead, he was looking at Harry closely.  The Gryffindor's shoulders were tense, and he was looking at Draco, a _insistent_ look.  Harry fixed his glasses on his nose, and looked back at Pansy, silent.  

I don't like him.  He's… Potter.  

"I hate him, and you know that Draco!" Pansy's shrill voice interrupted his thoughts, and he looked at her, "At least that idiot broke his nose like I intended—," she started to say carelessly, and Draco's eyes started to widen with her words.

_She tried to hurt him; she tried to hurt an eight-year-old_ _child_.

"What?!" he hissed, hoping that he didn't hear clearly, because if he did, Pansy would have another thing coming to her.  

"I _said_," she emphasized the word, rolling her eyes and now starting to look bored, "That I was happy that he broke his nose when I stuck my chair leg out, because, honestly, I hoped he would have gotten a worse fall than what happened yesterday and he would finally stop bothering you."  Her hands were on her hips, but she blinked as Draco stared at her.

"Pansy!" He hissed, coming closer, close enough to be right in her face, "What if something worse had happened to him?  What would have happened then?"  He hissed in her face, trying to keep his voice as low as possible so Harry couldn't hear his words.

"You're the idiot, Draco.  You knew you should have never crossed me when we got together and—," she stopped in the middle of her sentence, and they both were caught off guard when Harry shrilly yelled.

"Draco isn't the idiot, you are!"  Harry said, and Draco watched, mesmerized, as the smaller boy looked her right in the eye, and Draco noted Harry's posture.  The boy's gaze was angry, his hands were clenched in fists, and his lip was slowly curling into a sneer.

Pansy blinked once, twice, three times before she turned to him completely, now ignoring Draco.  She yelled back, "Excuse me?  Why you little shite, I ought to—."

"Shut up!  Honestly, you expect everyone to like you, but you know what, you're--."

"At least I'm not a stupid little boy who thinks --,"

"I'm not stupid and the only one stupid around here is you and—,"

"How dare you call me stupid!  Draco is only taking care of you becau--,"

"I call you stupid because you are stupid!  Draco is--," 

"I am not stupid, you annoying dog and--,"

"You're the dog, you look like one of those ugly—,"

Draco watched as his girlfriend and the boy who he was supposed to take care of fighting, with Harry's face tilted up and Pansy's face tilted down, their bodies touching and their voices slowly raising with each insult they passed from one another.  Pansy looked positively livid with anger, and Harry was looking very aggravated, not that Draco would blame him, of course.  

"Draco is only taking care of you because he has no other choice!" she shrieked and stomped her feet, sneering menacingly.

Draco stepped in between both of them to stop their arguing, but his interruption only seemed to get them more riled up, and now Harry was yelling.

"You're lying!!!"

Her smile became wide with sadistic motives, and she scowled over one of Draco's shoulder, "He doesn't love you, hell, he doesn't even like you, it's all part of the po--!" her sentence was stopped by Draco's hand on her mouth, and she was pushed back against the wall.

"Pansy, don't tell him about the potion!" he hissed angrily, not letting her mouth go.  She gave him a very angry look behind his hand and he moved away from her eventually, not before telling her, "I'll talk to you later."

----------

He had no afternoon classes that day, and right after a very awkward lunch, he took Harry to the Quidditch pitch.

Walking there, they didn't speak a word to each other.  Their eventful morning got both of the boy's thinking of what happened, and Draco wasn't fully ready to explain everything yet.

"Draco?" Harry asked quietly when they stepped into the broom shed that held all their brooms.  Draco didn't turn back to look at him as he got his old broom and handled it carefully.

"Draco?" Harry's voice was almost pleading now, but he didn't move from his spot in the doorway.  He was wringing his hands and looking slightly nervous, Draco could tell  by giving Harry a slight glance, but Draco didn't care.  He was still mad about earlier and what went on with Pansy, and mad at himself that he had fought with her over a stupid thing.

Starting to think back, how could someone like his girlfriend be so jealous of a nine-year-old boy, _especially_ Harry Potter?  

"What, Harry?" he asked, and purposely used Harry's given name to prove that he wasn't mad at him, but pissed about the situation.  Harry gave him a small smile before saying, "She's… just a git, a bad person… I didn't mean…" he trailed off and shifted his feet, looking at him worriedly.

Draco sighed and beckoned Harry to him, patting the seat beside him on the bench.  Harry came and sat beside him, still wringing his hands, and Draco wondered for a minute why Harry was doing that.  Almost to assure him that everything was okay, Draco placed his hands on Harry's and looked at him, and he spoke softly, "Let's get this straight, okay, Potter?  I'm not mad… it's… just… sometimes people get in fights.  You're not that stupid," he rolled his eyes, but continued, "and you know that, okay?"

Harry nodded and gave him another small smile.  Quietly, with hesitation, "… Do you like her?"

Draco stared at him for a minute and pulled his hand away, returning his hands to their prior engagement with his broom.  He stayed silent for a while, but eventually he spoke.

"I did for a while, yes."

"Now?" Harry moved closer to him on the bench, and Draco could feel the boy's curious gaze on his face.  He sighed and suddenly didn't feel like flying anymore, instead, all he wanted to do was talk.

Talk.  Something he didn't do in a long time to anyone.  

"I don't know.  Look, stop asking questions, okay?" he tried to sound strong, but instead, he sounded weak.  He cursed himself for sounding like that, but he couldn't help it.

Harry stopped asking for a moment and looked down at his shoes.  They stayed in silence for a minute longer before Harry piped up suddenly, "Draco?"

"What?" Draco drawled out, sounding annoyed and quite bored.  He looked at Harry and blinked at the Gryffindor's change of face, for Harry was smiling… 

"Chicken butt," Harry said smugly, and Draco blinked again.

"What?"  Draco asked him and leaned in.

"Chicken butt… you know… Chicken…" Harry tried to explain, gesturing with his hands.  Draco didn't understand the joke right away, and he stared at Harry for a while.  

"… I don't get it." For once, Draco felt quite ridiculous and interested in the same time.  Harry burst out laughing at Draco's confusion, and Draco stubbornly crossed his hands in front of his chest, giving Harry a look.

"What?  What's so funny?"  He drawled out, annoyed and a bit amused.  Harry was shaking like he was shaking in the potion's classroom with laughter, and Harry gained his resolve back, giving Draco a smile.

"You are so funny.  It was just a joke, Draco." Harry grinned widely and pushed up his glasses on his nose, but he spoke again, "Hey Draco?  You know why?"

Draco stayed silent for a moment, thinking of the ridiculous situation they were in.  He drawled out cautiously, "Why?"

"Chicken thigh!" Harry grinned and chuckled a bit at Draco's face, which was horribly mixed up in confusion and irritation and silent amusement.  Draco turned to face him and with a raised eyebrow, shook his head.  Standing up and ignoring Harry's smirk, he started to put his broom up, not feeling in the least like flying today.

"Draco, guess who?"

Draco didn't even bother to answer, but Harry answered him anyway.  He was walking out of the broom shed halfway when Harry yelled out after him, "CHICKEN POO!"

Draco rolled his eyes, and made his way back to the castle, aware of Harry's heavy laughter behind him.

He never felt this stupid in his life, having Harry ask him those questions.  But, he couldn't help but smile at it all, needing the humor that was not evident in his life.

---------- 

Dinner was uneventful. The Gryffindors that were in Snape's earlier class were glaring to the Slytherin table, and the Slytherins were glaring back at him.  Slytherin and Gryffindor were each down 50 points from yesterday, and Ron was glaring noticeably at Malfoy throughout dinner.  

But everyone in the Slytherin table knew something was wrong between their most popular couple, not that there was nothing wrong with them before.  Pansy was flirting noticeably in front of Draco, but Draco didn't really care, in fact, he wanted her to flirt in front of him so he could annoy her more.  And, just to make Pansy more irritated, he talked with Harry more, watching from the corner of his eye that Pansy was getting redder by the second.  

The last thing Draco wanted to do now was talk with her, and truthfully, he would rather kiss a hippogriff than talk with Pansy Parkinson.

---------- 

Draco plopped gratefully on his bed when he arrived in his room, not bothering to take off his shoes or change, thankful for the soft warmness below him.  Sighing, he heard Harry close the door a minute later and go to his own cot, hearing the squeaking of the smaller bed.  

"I'm so tired," he mumbled to no one in particular, thankful that no one at dinner asked what was wrong, and thankful that Harry had been a bit mature.  It was unbelievable, really, how Harry didn't say anything much at dinner or act immature.  Harry could almost tell that Draco couldn't handle it, especially not today.

"Draco?" a voice across the room asked, and Draco gave an irritated groan.  

"If you are going to ask one of those stupid questions again, I will wring your neck, you idiot," he mumbled but turned his head to face Harry at the other side of the room.  The Gryffindor was holding a pillow, hugging it, and he pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"No… it's… just…" Draco watched as Harry came closer with a pillow trailing on the ground, and an unreadable expression on his face.  

"What?" he lazily drawled out when Harry stood in front of him.  He propped himself up by his elbows and gave Harry a irritated scowl, sneering when the boy flickered his eyes up to meet Draco's gray ones.

"Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" Harry whispered, and Draco blinked as Harry asked that.  Harry looked at the floor and quickly put in, "Please?"

  
"You have your own bed," Draco said quietly, giving Harry a judging look.  Harry sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the floor, and quietly, he said, "I don't want those dreams to come."

"What dreams?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow, sitting erect so that he could look at Harry better.  

"Sometimes… I have these bad dreams… about these people trying to take me away… and you leaving me…" he trailed off and his last words were almost an inaudible whisper. 

Draco watched the boy beside him tense when he looked at him, but Harry continued reluctantly, "And sometimes, having you near me … I…" Harry trailed off once again, and it looked like he wouldn't continue this time around.

Draco sighed and studied the boy in front of him.  With a very irritated sigh, he scooted over and placed a pillow between them.  He watched as the boy's face lightened with gratefulness and Harry smiled.

"Don't kick me, don't touch me at night, don't drool on my sheets or anything else for that matter," the Slytherin drawled out and scowled when Harry gave him a smirk.  Harry eventually pulled the covers over his body and lay his head on the pillow, then faced Draco.  

"Draco?" Harry asked quietly, and Draco reluctantly turned around to face him.  Laying on his side, facing Harry, with a pillow in between them, he closed his eyes lazily and waited for Harry to continue.  Harry, seeing this as a sign, asked, "Whatever happened to my parents?"

Draco was prepared, for some uncanny reason to answer this question.  He was asked earlier about this, and never really had time to think about it all through the day, but realized that he had to tell Harry the truth, the real reason behind his parents death, because Harry deserved to know.  

"They died," Draco replied, and continued right after he said that, "By the dark lord's wand."

Silence reigned the room after he verbalized himself and Harry waited for him to continue.  He took a deep breath and buried himself deeper in the covers, using his wand to flicker out the remaining light in the room, and spoke.

"From what I hear," he hesitated and sighed because of his hesitance.  With determination, he continued, "The dark lord came to your parents house and… killed them."

Harry's beautiful, bright green eyes were visible in the dark, and Draco couldn't help but search into them.  They were filled with emotion, some fury at first, and then it subsided to … something else Draco couldn't quite determine.

"I see them sometimes," Harry whispered, and that brought Draco closer, straining to hear.  Draco watched his face and Harry proceeded, "In my dreams.  Like… Like last night.  I dreamed that…" 

"Yes?" Draco asked, but he already had a clue what Harry dreamed about, because he felt like he was _there_.  

"My mother was really beautiful," he paused and looked down, "I… I remember her having red hair.  Her eyes were --," 

But Draco interrupted him, "Her eyes were green, yes."

Harry looked at him in surprise and then he nodded, "Green.  She was very beautiful."

Draco nodded and silently agreed.  They stayed in silence for a while, and Draco reached over, pulling Harry's glasses off.  The boy looked like he was going to protest, but Draco just said, "You don't need them anyways now."

Harry relaxed and hugged the pillow in between them.  They stayed in silence for a while, Harry searching Draco's face, when he finally spoke.

"Draco?" Harry asked when Draco laid back down and yawned, closing his eyes.  Draco made a small sound, waiting for Harry to continue, and Harry said quietly, "Do…. Do you love Pansy?"

The word that Harry used made Draco feel a bit uneasy.  _Love_ was uneasy for him.  He thought he did, a long time ago.  Maybe fourth year, when they were dancing at the Yule Ball?  Maybe fifth year when she kissed him?  He didn't know.  He knew now, though, that no, he didn't love her.  He could hardly stand her.  

Instead of telling Harry this, he drawled out quietly without opening his eyes, "You should go to sleep.  And don't act immature tomorrow either."

He didn't wait for Harry to reply, but he felt the Gryffindor's eyes on him for minutes later, gazing over his face.  Eventually, Draco opened his eyes and saw that Harry was asleep beside him, and he, too, surrendered into the night.

-----**TBC**----- 

**Next Chapter**:  Harry turns 10!  His attitude starts to perk up more, causing even more Pansy / Harry distaste.  What happens with Harry sees his role model forgive Pansy (reluctantly ;)), or worse, what happens when Harry sees Draco kiss her?  Bette yet, what happens when Harry goes through his old school trunk?

**Notes**:  Yes, it's late.  Please don't kill me.  Anyway, I had a wonderful beta help me with this story and I thank her SO much.

I know I said you guys will be getting a smaller version of Draco or a miniature version of Draco, but the next few chapters are a gradual process of Harry transforming into him.  So, close enough.  

Thanks to those who have Imed me on AIM, and those who added me to your favorite's list.  100 reviews, about, since the last chapter. o_o meep.  

Anyway, join a clique I made cause it's lonely and needs people! http://www.trinity.muddybrown.com

YAY.  Okay.  

**Questions and Answers**:  

1.  I don't understand.  What year are they in? 

They are in SEVENTH year.  They would have to be for Draco and Hermione to be Headboy/headgirl.

2.  Is there Ron/Hermione in this story?

Yep.  ::Secret Ron/Hermione shipper, shh, don't tell::.

3.  I don't get this whole one year one day thing, explain?

I know I know, I should have made it clearer.  Okay, Harry is no 9, right?  Since two, he has been with Draco and will be until he reaches his normal age of 17.  He lives each day as a day, but as he advances into the next day and he gains one year, he looks back to the previous day and thinks of that as a year ago.  …. Make sense? XD. 

**Date Completed**:  December 29, 2002


	9. Harry Turns Ten

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters; they all belong to JK Rowling and etc.

Chapter Nine: Harry Turns Ten 

// Draco woke up to a shrill scream, and with lightning speed, he was out of his bed and peeking out of his door – looking out and surveying the hallway.  He saw a dark figure sweep past him, but thankfully, because it was so dark the dark figure just walked briskly down the stairs with footfalls that brought a shiver up Draco's spine.  When Draco could see the shine of his fathers hair disappear entirely, he decided to act with caution; tiptoeing down the third floor of the Malfoy Manor to his parents bedroom.  

"Mother?"  He whispered urgently from the doorway, and with a pounding heartbeat in his chest, he listened intently for any signs of response from his mother.  When none was received, he swallowed audibly and ignored the messed up sheets displayed so stylishly on the elegant bed, and he was about to give up hope, when suddenly, a small sound could be heard from the bathroom.

Acting quickly despite his nervous state, Draco closed the master bedroom door behind him as he made his way to the master bathroom.  The bathroom door was closed, but he doubted it was locked.  Seeing shadows flicker across the floor in front of him, Draco cleared his throat, cautiously tapped his knuckles on the bathroom door, and spoke in a hushed voice, though he had no reason to do so, "Mother?  Are you in there?"

He received no answer and looked over his shoulder -- paranoid that someone would be there, but of course, no one was. His mother still wasn't answering and Draco could feel his heart sink down to his stomach. With whatever bravery only he could muster, he pushed open the door slowly. Draco closed his eyes when he saw what lay before him.

On the floor was his mother in her most beautiful crimson dress.  But that was not the only one that was crimson – for there was blood running down the side of her pale forehead.  Draco acted quickly - he already knew what to do - and got a wash towel from the closet.  Rinsing it thoroughly with cold water, he tried to ignore the look of pain on his mother's face, and he just prayed silently that she would not slip into unconsciousness like last time.  Draco bent down beside her, and brought her head to his small lap, and with gentleness no one would ever expect him with, the ten-year-old Draco Malfoy stroked the side of her face while eradicating the blood.  

Draco didn't bother to look at the dress, which was torn at the hip, nor did he bother to look at the bottle of highly valuable wine located near the bathtub.  He didn't bother to cry, because his tears would be wasted, and after all, Malfoys don't cry.  Ever.  Not even when their mother was on the floor for the fifth time in the last two months, and their father was off drinking with his companions and other women he could get his hands on.  

In other facts he didn't ever want to dwell on, his father had struck again… and not for the last time. //

With sweat running down his forehead and the realization of having another energy-draining dream, Draco Malfoy swallowed silently before he opened his eyes.  Absently, his fingers clenched the bed sheets as he looked hazily around, and with his heart beating madly in his chest; he inhaled before he exhaled loudly.

Draco was pulled out of his morning haziness when he heard water being turned on in the bathroom.  Turning slowly to the source of the sound, his brows furrowed when his eyes passed the empty cot on the other side of the room.  When realization hit him, he rolled his eyes and acknowledged that Harry had slept in _Draco's_ bed last night.   

Instead of trying to fall asleep again, he sat up groggily and looked at the clock on the side of his bed.  The clock read 5:02 AM, and Draco would have groaned if he had the energy.  

He looked away from the clock when he heard the water being turned off, and watching the bathroom door quietly, didn't even notice the coincidence of them _both_ being awake at about the same time.  When the door opened, he was greeted with a surprising sight.  

A trembling boy stepped out of the bathroom looking around quickly, and Draco watched intently as Harry spotted him from as far as the bathroom.  The Slytherin, without having to think about it, knew that Harry's glasses were on the bedside table beside him.  Harry, looking so obviously older than yesterday, walked briskly to where Draco was sitting on the bed, and before Draco had time to blink, Harry had leaped on him.

"What-," Draco had started out, but his words died on his lips as he felt Harry quiver on his lap.  Barely realizing how the Gryffindor had seated himself on Draco's lap so quickly, Draco blinked at not knowing what to do.  Hearing something unrecognizable from the other mouth he tried to push Harry back, but the boy just wouldn't let him.  

"Harry, this is absurd." Draco drawled quietly into Harry's hair, and the malice usually present in Draco's voice was gone entirely.  Harry's embrace tightened, and when Draco put a hand on Harry's back to try and comfort him, only then did Harry stop quivering restlessly.  Draco waited for what was to come.

"I'm sorry," was said in the quietest voice Draco had ever heard from the boy, and because it was said so meekly, Draco wondered what was the deal.  From the corner of his eyes the Slytherin noted absently that the sun had not seeped through the curtains; so he shifted back on the bed while continuing to hold Harry, and lay down on it, taking the boy with him.  

"For what?"  Draco asked with honest curiosity, and soothingly, he ran his hand up the spine of the boy's back.  Harry stayed quiet for a moment - Draco didn't know why – but when he could feel the renewed shaking of Harry's head, Draco realized he shouldn't pursue.  And he didn't.

Sighing dramatically because of the boy's delayed response, Draco propped himself up on his elbow and with Harry in his arms, the Slytherin maneuvered his way until they were both under the covers, with Harry still holding him - instead of the other way around.  Brows furrowing yet again because of Harry's persistent grasp, he was about to push Harry away from him once and for all – when he stopped and realized something.  Draco didn't move for a moment, but instead, the Slytherin felt the gentle rise and fall of the Gryffindor's chest.  Turning his face to look down, he realized that Harry had fallen asleep, once again.  

Draco didn't even get his answer.  Rolling his eyes and out of habit, he slowly and tenderly pushed Harry away.  He laid his head on the pillow, and disregarded the enjoyment of the soothing peacefulness that surrounded them in favor of watching the innocent face before him.  Draco's gaze flickered from the boy's eyelashes to the scar, and with a start, he realized, he was looking at it; not that it was a bad thing, looking at the scar, but he realized then and there, Draco didn't look at it like he had all those years before.  This time, Draco looked upon that scar with nothing but honest, humble interest – with no ill perseverance behind it.    

He snapped his eyes away quickly from the zigzag line, and looked at the bed sheets under them.  Draco decided then he would talk to the boy about what made Harry so upset when he awoke hours later, but as for now, it was still five o'clock in the morning, and he still had time to sleep.  

Draco's eyelids drooped heavily and he closed his eyes decisively.  He was aware that a hand was snaking around his middle – Harry's hand, no doubt, and a face acquainting itself on his chest, Harry again – and with a small sigh, he buried his face in Harry's hair, and slept.

***

Ignoring the pitiful grumbling in his stomach, Draco still felt sleepy when he awoke to the sounds of birds chirping off in the distance.  He would make sure to have someone kill those birds sometime in the near future.     

He shifted ineptly within the embrace he was kept in, and he looked down to find himself staring into big, green, very big eyes.  Blinking because of the unexpected sight, he pushed himself away entirely until he was no longer touching Harry.  The space between them was not exactly extensive, but it gave Draco enough to be comfortable.  

Harry, on the other hand, stayed where he was and the look he was giving Draco almost made the blond Slytherin ask what the hell he was gawking at.  Neither of them spoke in the silence, but Draco was itching for _some_ kind of noise.  Harry didn't look like he was going to speak, because he had a sad, thoughtful look on his face, so Draco broke the silence in his stead.

"What?" was the only word he could ask.  Uncomfortable, he moved further away from Harry, but he laid his head back down on the pillow.  Harry offered him a small smile before he leaned in towards Draco, and Draco, being curious as a cat, leaned in as well.

"I'm sorry," Harry said, and Draco was hit with recognition of what happened earlier in the morning.  Draco gave the Harry a curious, thoughtful expression before he put on a hearty sneer.  

"For what?" he asked plainly, in a soft voice despite the sudden irritation that was building up inside him.  He should have already known what Harry was sorry for, and not knowing that fact made him feel vulnerable.  Harry locked his gaze with Draco, before he spoke.

"I'm sorry about… your mother…" Harry trailed off.  Draco watched closely as flickering emotions ran across Harry's face – unidentifiable to Draco, and he was momentarily shocked that Harry knew _anything_ about his mother… especially since he had a dream about her earlier.  _Too weird._

Draco refused to believe that Harry knew anything, so he turned over to sit up.

"Potter, make some bloody sense." Draco said quickly with escalating annoyance, and, even if he couldn't see what Harry was doing, he could feel the shifting on the bed.  Harry's head appeared in the corner of his eye, and a soft, soothing voice (which made him even more bothered) rang through his ears.

"The dream… y-your mothe-," Harry started off, but he was cut off by the sudden uptight look on the Slytherin's face.  

"Stop it."  Draco whispered, but his voice rose as he spoke, "Stop doing this.  Thi-This potion should know the bloody meaning of privacy."  He looked at Harry, and he forgot he was speaking to a ten-year-old, "Whatever it's doing, stop it.  I can handle things myself, and I don't need _Harry-Sodding-Potter_ to come along in this savior-bloody-way and try and make it right again, okay?  So, leave it alone – whatever you're going to say, Potter, just leave it alone."

He stood up at the moment he finished, and disregarded the heartbroken look on Harry's face.  At the moment, like so many times before, he couldn't stand that face.  

Moving towards the closet, Draco didn't have time to comprehend that someone was following him.  Before he had time to turn around, Harry was already in front of him – with a furious expression.

"No!  You listen to me, Draco Malfoy!" Came a high, enraged voice before him.  Draco blinked at the expression that Harry was giving him, but it only took seconds before Draco retorted, "Get out of my way, Potter."

"No!  I won't!"  Harry yelled, and Draco was about to snap back, but Harry was already talking.

"You're my friend, Draco!"  Harry cried out and started talking animatedly with his hands waving around (almost knocking Draco off his feet), "I was trying to help you!  Remember when you told me it was going to be okay when I got that bloody nose? A bloody nose doesn't hurt like...like the things about parents do… but remember?" His gave Draco an expectant look, "So don't do that!"

Draco watched as emotions ran across Harry's face quickly, it almost took his breath away to see how spirited Harry was.  The words slowly sank in, but when they fully settled in him, he signed and turned away, knowing it was a lie.  The lie was that, no, Harry and him were not friends – and Draco doubted Harry would want to be when this whole incident was over.

"Okay?"  Harry lip trembled as he looked up at the Slytherin, but Draco sighed and reached out to pull Harry closer to him.  The brunette didn't resist, but when Draco squatted in front of Harry, the Gryffindor boy looked like he was regretting his harsh tone.

"I-," Draco started out, but Harry interrupted.

"I just wanted to help." 

Draco sighed, and bowed his head.  He didn't exactly know how to phrase his words, so, instead, he squeezed Harry's hand and stood up slowly.  Regarding Harry with an unreadable expression, he said slowly and surely, "I know."

He decided to talk to Harry later.  And with that, he let go of Harry's hand, and made his way to the bathroom.  

***

As they walked down the stairs, Draco ignored the quiet tittering coming from his fellow housemates.  Harry walked behind him quietly, and Draco surveyed the room to see who was present, and who was not.  His eyes caught hold of the back of Pansy's head, and with a sinking feeling, he looked anywhere else but at her.  

Wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible – and to ignore his girlfriend completely – his eyes caught sight of the door ahead of them, and with the door reminding him of the exit, Draco Malfoy made his way there as quickly as he could.  

A voice could be heard throughout the common room – and without looking around to see who had called him, his heart sunk low to his stomach as he heard the crisp footfalls come closer behind him.  Clenching his fists together absently and trying to ignore the gaining strides, he picked up his own pace and made his way to the door.

"Draco!  Wait, darling, I need to talk to you!"  Pansy's voice came up behind him, and Draco cursed himself for not being fast enough.  Unable to avoid her any longer, the blond Slytherin whipped around and crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly.  Looking as intimidating as he could get, he narrowed his eyes at her and scowled fiercely.  He wasn't one to forget childish incidents.

"What, Parkinson?"  He growled low in his throat.  Draco disregarded that Harry made his way behind him, glowering at Pansy.  Draco could feel plenty of eyes on them, but he chose to ignore it.  _Stare all you want, plebeians, he said to himself._

"Draco," Pansy cooed, but kept her distance.  Her eyes looked apprehensive about talking to Draco, but Draco admired her courage to do so in such a public place.  "Draco," she said again, "I would like to talk to you about yesterday."

He raised an eyebrow that she even bothered to do so.  Sneering disapprovingly, he replied, "Well, go on.  Make it quick, because I don't have time for such foolishness."  

If she was irritated, intimidated, or rattled, she did not show it.  Instead, Pansy blinked dramatically and, before Draco could realize what was about to happen, teardrops had fallen down her cheeks.  

"I-I wanted to apologize about yesterday, my darling."  She sniffed, and Draco could feel a blush rise to his cheeks, "And I wanted your forgiveness for my imprudence."

Pansy brought out an outrageously pink handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed the corner of her eyes with it.  Draco studied her eyes closely (since the shockingly bright pink made it's way there) and noticed that there was twice as much mascara on her eyes as there usually was.  The mascara left a stain on her face, and Draco backed up uncertainly.  He had never seen Pansy cry before, and if it were just to convince him that she was truly sorry, he admired her for her courage to perform in front of several other Slytherins.  

Shocked, he glanced at Harry from the corner of his eyes.  Harry was looking at her skeptically (Draco could tell by the way Harry rolled his eyes) but other than slight irritation the boy had no facial expression.  Harry looked at him, and then looked away just as quickly.

When Draco returned back to look at Pansy, she was still dabbing her eyes with the handkerchief.  Glad that they were so close so that no one could hear them, he leaned in, and spoke.

"Pansy, I don't know what to say."  He frowned that he had been caught off guard.  He never realized that Pansy would take such desperate measures for the sake of her reputation.  "But…"  

At this, he looked at Harry again, before looking at the rest of the common room.  Everyone present was caught staring at the small, quiet scene, but when the blond's eyes caught theirs, they turned away hurriedly.

Draco sighed, but kept his expression composed.  With deliberate ease and somewhat forced sincerity, the blond teenager looked at his girl friend, and said with resoluteness, "We'll talk about this later."  

Almost to make sure that he had said what he had, Draco continued in an uncertain voice, "All right?"

Pansy seemed to want to disagree for a moment as impatience ran across her tear-streaked face, but other than that, she smiled widely.

"Yes, Draco, love, of course!"  She replied, surprisingly pleasant.  Beside him, Draco could hear a small sound of disbelief, but he chose not to look at Harry at the moment.  Draco gave her an unsure nod and took a step back, and before Pansy could ask where he was going, he said distractedly with a wave of his hand, "I'll be back later."

He turned away before anyone could make him change his mind, and Draco was out of the Slytherin common room with a dramatic swish of his black robes, not bothering to look behind him to see if Harry was following – which Harry was, of course.

And, as he walked, he wondered what had just happened.  

***

"Hey, Draco?"  Harry asked eagerly.  They both had finished lunch with an alarming fast pace (especially once Draco saw Pansy and Blaise walking inside).  

"What, Harry?"  Draco drawled once they had escaped the Great Hall, and shrugged his expensive black robes off.  Inside the castle was stifling and stuffy, and Draco couldn't bear it.  The Slytherin dungeon seemed like a desirable location to unwind and take a nap because of the chilly atmosphere – but Draco knew what awaited him there if he went.  He didn't exactly want to speak to Pansy just yet.   

Draco and Harry both made their way out of the castle, and Harry asked the inevitable.  

"What can we do today?  It's so hot in there, but we should do something cool!"  The Gryffindor exclaimed happily, and Draco couldn't stop the next thing that came from the brunette's mouth, "Let's do something!  How about dumping ice over our heads!"

Draco almost snorted, but he composed his self.  Instead, he raised an amused eyebrow and drawled out, "Creative ideas… it makes me wonder what you Gryffindors do when you're very bored."

Draco laughed to himself, but shook his head when Harry gave him a confused glance.  Harry waved his hand (Draco's brows furrowed as the gesture reminded him of _himself) and rolled his eyes, "Well, what do _you_ suggest then, hm?"  _

Draco continued to walk, but Harry was right in a way.  They had to do something refreshing, because it annoyed Draco that there was no easy way to get cool.    Suddenly, an idea came to mind, but someone interrupted his thoughts.

"How about ice cold water?  We could dump that over our heads!"  Harry grinned at him, and Draco laughed despite his resolution not to do so.  Chuckling to himself, Draco shook his head again and slowed down his footsteps. 

Turning to look at Harry, Draco drawled with an arrogant smirk, "Care to go swimming, Harry?"

If a smile could cure the world of all the illnesses, Draco was sure Harry would have cured it.  Draco's heart swelled with pride when he realized that he had done that.  Harry pushed up his glasses on his nose and Draco would have sworn that Harry was going to cry with glee or something.  

"Swimming it is, then."  Draco stated, and without another word, he turned around and started to walk towards the lake.   Completely forgetting about Pansy, but with Harry's smile directed towards him (which, for some reason, gave him a _great_ feeling), he smiled to himself.  Things were suddenly looking better.

***

"Potter, come here."  Draco commanded, and crossed his arms in front of his bare chest.  Draco was already in the water, and he sighed irritably as Harry touched the water with his toe.  The brunet (Draco scoffed at the obvious absence of the Gryffindor courage) looked at the water distrustfully.  

Clad only in his boxers (Draco figured he could carry his underwear later and go commando style), Draco waited impatiently as Harry took an uncertain step, to where the water barely covered his feet.  

"Har-ry." Draco drawled.  

"I don't know how to swim."  Harry said quickly, and the only Gryffindor courage remaining vanished as Harry completely got out of the water.  Harry looked at the water uneasily, and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Fine.  You stay there," Draco motioned to the shore, "And I'll swim and be cool."  Draco, then, fell back into the meadow of rippling, clear liquid.  Finally, _finally_¸ feeling relaxed and cooled off by the water, he allowed himself to emerge fully in it before he came to the surface and opened his eyes.  

Looking around as soon as he resurfaced, Draco's brows furrowed instantly.  Something was different.  The blond had seen the ten-year-old just a second ago, then when he submerged himself completely in the water for less than five seconds and resurfaced… Harry was gone. 

"Draco!"  Draco heard from the right, and turning to the source of the voice, the Slytherin exhaled as he saw the Gryffindor.  Harry had seated himself on the wooden dock a few feet down the shore, and his feet were dangling off the edge of it.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Draco swam to the dock and when he was near it, he stopped and floated.  Giving Harry a disapproving look – though, it wasn't a big deal – he drawled, "So you're just going to stay there?  I thought you wanted to get cooled off."

He was quite surprised with Harry's response, but more so, of the distain in Harry's voice.  

"Draco, I _told you."  Harry pushed his glasses up his nose before brushing some hair out of his eyes, "I don't know how to swim.  Don't you listen to anything I say?"_

"I have half the mind not to."  Draco grumbled.  Harry suddenly grinned at him, and scooted further along the edge, so that his feet were emerged in the water.  Draco swam closer until he was looking right up at Harry.

"I'm going to pull you in, you know." Draco spoke lowly, even if he really wasn't going to.  Harry just shook his head and replied, "You wouldn't."

"I would."  Draco stated, and moved to pull himself up on the dock to sit beside the Gryffindor.  Harry made room for him, and in less than three seconds, Draco was sitting beside him, dripping wet.  The blond ran a hand through his silky hair before he shook it – and water flew everywhere.  

"Ew!  Draco!"  Harry sputtered, and when Draco looked at him, the Slytherin laughed at the critical expression on the Gryffindor's face.  Harry took off his glasses to wipe them, but when he realized that he hand nothing to wipe them on, Draco laughed at the defeated look on Harry's face.

"You're such a priss, Harry, even at ten."  Draco muttered to himself and elbowed Harry at the side.  Harry frowned at him and put his glasses behind them.

"Come on, you know how to float, at least?" Draco asked as he looked out into the lake.  He saw from the corner of his eyes that Harry was shaking his head, and he inwardly sighed.  

"It was useless to come out here, then."  Draco stated plainly, and plopped back in the water.  He ignored Harry's crushed expression, but he turned around when Harry spoke.

"Well, maybe… can you teach me, then?"  Harry asked uncertainly, and Draco frowned instantly.

"Potter, I'm not a bloody professor."  But, nonetheless, Draco held out his hand.  Draco never noticed that he had gone back to calling Harry by his last name, but Harry didn't seem to either.  The blond Slytherin waited patiently as Harry looked puzzled, but slowly, the Gryffindor got what Draco was implying.  Harry scooted as far as he could go on the wooden dock, grasped Draco's extended hand, and gently plopped into the water.  

Now, only being shoulder height in the water (with his toes squiggling in the sand under him) Draco held Harry's hand firmly.  As soon as Harry was in the lake, Draco lifted him up under the armpits to keep him above water.  He could see the increasing uncertainty in Harry's eyes, but Draco decided to mention it.

"You all right there, Harry?"   Draco exhaled as pulled the boy closer to him.  Harry immediately gripped his shoulder blades, but Draco was too busy concentrating on bringing Harry to shallow water.  

"You want to know something?"  Draco mused, "We all thought you were going to drown during fourth year."  Unexpectedly, Harry just gripped him tighter.  Draco found this quite amusing that Harry could be frightened out his wits over such an unrealistic thing.  

"Professor Snape told us you stole gillyweed out of his storage closet," Draco said calmly as he brought Harry closer to the shore.  When the water reached his waist, Draco gently tried to let Harry down (and Harry, a bit shaken by the thought of drowning, clung to him tightly).  

Draco didn't pursue, though.  In fact, he was having too much fun talking to the Gryffindor boy.  "The Weaslette was practically crying when you went over the time limit."  Draco smirked and continued, "She kept on begging Finnigan to do something.  We could see her _bawling_ from where we were sitting."

Draco noticed after he spoke that Harry didn't comment.  Harry had let go during his speech and was floating in the water, looking up at him and listening.  

"I don't have a girlfriend."  Harry made a disgusted face.  Draco felt Harry grab his hand before the boy completely submerged himself in the water.  In less than five seconds, Harry had emerged and shook his head like Draco had previously done on the dock.

"Trust me, Potter, you do."  Draco muttered to himself, and was glad Harry didn't notice.  Instead, Harry just looked at him – with water dripping down the side of his face – and smiled gently. 

"You're even better than a girlfriend, Draco!  I don't need a girlfriend when I have you as my friend."  Harry stated shyly, and Draco blinked.  Draco watched as a red flush crept up the boy's face at the statement.  

Draco drawled while trying to ignore the blush, "Let's just teach you how to swim, and _then_ we'll talk about women."  And with that, Draco patted Harry's head, before he dunked it under water.

***

"They're probably talking about you."  Draco drawled as he noticed that Harry was looking across the Great Hall at Hermione and Ron.  While the rest of the hall was usually energetic on a Saturday evening at dinner, Ron and Hermione were anything but.  The two Gryffindors at the other end of the room looked like they were engaged in a deep quiet conversation, and every once in a while, Hermione would glance over her shoulder and look at Harry searchingly.  

"I don't care what they think."  Harry gently replied, but even as he said that, Draco could tell otherwise.   If the Gryffindor sitting beside him was telling the truth – Draco would have known from his tone of voice.  Harry's shoulders drooped slightly, and his expression remained the same – troubled.  

Draco nudged Harry at the side with his elbow before drawling out, "How about you eat the rest of your dinner with them, yeah?  I'll meet you in the Slytherin common room after."

"It's okay, I'll just stay here."  Harry said quickly, and Draco sighed.  He nudged Harry's side again, and he made sure Harry looked at him.  Draco could tell, that even if he was the caretaker, Harry also missed the two others, which came quite as a surprise. (Draco slowly realized this upon an early observation).  _Gryffindors, bah, Draco thought to himself.  __Frizzy hair, Weasel, and Potty, the inseparable trinity._

When Harry looked up at him with big, green eyes, Draco just shook his head.  "Did I leave you when we were in the lake earlier?"

Of course, Draco didn't.  Quite surprised with himself, Draco had not messed around with Harry's mind during their swimming session.  In fact, after he dunked Harry under the water, he got down right to the swimming lesson.  By the time that Draco had wondered what time it was, it was forty minutes before dinner was to be served.  With wrinkled fingers and a very jubilant Harry, they rushed out of the water and made their way to change clothes in Draco's room.  

"No, you didn't."  Came Harry's answer.

"Right, I didn't.  Now, you've spent too much time with me today, and I think your other halfwits want your company as well.  Otherwise, they would stop looking over here, got it?"  Draco frowned when he finished and popped a piece of fruit in his mouth.  

"Can I just stay here with you?"  Harry said, and tucked his head.  When Harry realized that it couldn't go any other way, he stood up dejectedly and gave Draco one last sorrowful look.

"Oh, come off it, Potter."  Draco drawled and pushed Harry in the direction of the Gryffindor table.  When Harry didn't move, Draco sighed and said, "I'll meet you in my room, all right?"

"Do you promise?"  Draco turned around and gave Harry a curt nod before returning to his desert.  He didn't see Harry's small smile, or the way the brunet skipped to the Gryffindor table.  

_I promise_, Draco thought, and popped another fruit in his mouth.

*** 

Walking with hands in his pockets, Draco made his way to the Slytherin common room.  Up ahead he saw the Circe painting and, even at this distance, and involuntary shiver ran up his spine when a malicious smile crept up her face.

"Circe."  He said as he passed by, but he wouldn't have said anything if he was not alone.  He could see the Slytherin common room entrance up ahead, but a low, seductive whisper made him stop.

"Draco Malfoy…" Someone sibilated behind him.  Turning around, he raised an eyebrow at the empty hallway, but his eyes caught the painting near him.  Circe had seated herself in a luxurious chair at the side of the frame and, being somewhat curious, Draco moved closer.

"You know my name, painting?"  He addressed the seductress.  Her eyes gleamed in the torchlight, but other than that, she didn't speak at that instant. Instead, a knowing smile stole across her features and she looked at the left side of the frame – where her potion bottles were located.

"Do you sing him a lullaby before he goes to bed, Draco Malfoy?"  She looked at him, but he just frowned absently.  She crossed her legs, and Draco saw the slit at the side – where Circe's pale skin gleamed.

"No, I don't.  Why?"  He asked, inquisitively.  Her expression didn't change – she kept on looking at him with a frightening smile.  If he weren't so curious, he would have left because the smile scared him so.  Being alone in a darkened hallway with only one torchlight, Draco didn't feel quite so safe.  You never knew what could happened at Hogwarts. 

"I would have sung it to Odysseus, love."  She whispered, and, for a second, Draco was caught off guard.  Not only because she had called him a pet name, but… the tone of her voice made Draco think of her words carefully.  

"What does that mean, painting?"  He addressed her again, and Draco followed her gaze to the painted potion bottles at the other side of the painting.  When she didn't reply right away, Draco looked back at her – but to his surprise as well as agitation, she was gone.

_I would have sung it to Odysseus, love_, she had said.  Draco shook his head at the mysterious Circe, and concluded:  Odysseus was very lucky to get away from her.  

He shook his head and turned around sharply, making his way to the Slytherin common room entrance.  After drawling the password, he entered the cool atmosphere with nothing more than a scowl.  Brushing past several first years going to their rooms, Draco wandered aimlessly to where the couches were located – but he wouldn't have gone there if he knew who was sitting on the couch.

"Oh, Draco, love, I've been waiting so long for you to show up!"  Draco's brows knitted together as saw Pansy make room for him on the couch.  Draco carefully walked over to her.  He didn't sit down right away, but when Pansy patted the seat beside her, he thought, As long as she doesn't drone on and on.  I don't feel like being bored on a Saturday night.

"Oh, Draco, I've been so worried about you all day!"  Pansy sighed dramatically and fluttered her eyelashes one too many times.  Draco watched as Pansy leaned forward and put her hands over Draco's, and looked in his eyes, before she continued, "I was so worried."

Draco congratulated himself on not rolling his eyes; instead, he remained perfectly still and waited for her to finish.  She didn't disappoint him.

"I was acting like Tracey the other day,"  she sniffed, and squeezed their hands, "I was just scared that Potter would hurt you." 

"Hurt me, Parkinson?"  Draco gave her a look.

"Yes, well, he has you wrapped around his little finger, and, because I don't know anything about the potion like you do, I was so sure he would hurt you in some way."  Pansy sniffed again.  Draco couldn't quite tell if she was just … putting on a show, or what.  Draco uneasily shifted in his place, but he just shrugged at her explanation (or excuse, he thought).

"Parkinson, it's not only that."  Draco thought of pulling his hands away from under her own, but decided against it.  Her nails looked pretty sharp.  "I don't think I can do this anymore."

This time, Pansy looked frightened.  Without having a chance to blink, Draco found himself being smothered by Pansy's breasts.  She had seated herself on his lap (or, more of, leaped on his lap) with her arms around Draco's head.  

"P-Parkinson!"  He breathed, but he couldn't see anything else but black.  Closing his eyes and putting his hands on her hips, he pushed her back, and inhaled.  He was sure he knew how it felt to be raped by a maniac woman.  

"Oh, Draco!  No, we must try again!"  Draco cringed at the overly sentimental tone in Pansy's voice.  The blond tried to push her back to the couch, but she just wrapped her arms around his neck tighter.  "Please, for me?  I really don't want to loose you!"

Draco shook his head because of Pansy's behavior.  He was just glad that she didn't act this pathetic when they were in front of other students in different houses.  Inhaling deeply, his hands found her shoulders, and with that, he pushed her away until there was enough space between for him to be comfortable.  

"Please, my little bunny?"  Pansy purred, and before Draco was able to act outraged at such a foolish pet name, he found that his lips were pressed firmly against Pansy's.  He tried to pull back, but the more he pulled back, the more she pressed forward.

He made a noise of protest – which, of course, Pansy took as a sign of encouragement, and she slipped her tongue between his lips rather rudely.  He found this to be an invasion to his privacy – but this might be the only way to keep her happy and quiet.  

Pansy grinded their hips together as her tongue curled around his own.  Now he knew exactly how it felt to be raped by a woman.  Though, in the back of his mind, he wondered when the good feeling was supposed to come, because he sure didn't feel anything.  He had heard of Zabini's and other older boy's exploits, and how there was supposed to be this _good feeling_, but Draco felt nothing.  His hands were placed on her shoulders, and he was about to push her away – but her tongue had become surprisingly gentle.  In fact, she was pulling back entirely.  

"Please?"  She whispered, and Draco blinked hazily as she pecked his lips.  When he looked in her eyes – he didn't see what he saw the other day.  In fact, Draco saw what he had seen during his fourth year.  Sheer adoration on her part.  

Draco didn't know what caused him to lean forward, but he did.  When his lips touched Pansy's, Draco opened his mouth and let her tongue push past his lips to stroke his own.  He felt her surprise, but he disregarded doing anything about it.  Draco settled back into the couch, and she fell with him – tongues interlocking together.

_But it didn't feel special._  In fact, he didn't feel anything that he wanted to feel.  But he didn't tell her that as she petted the hair on the nape of his neck, or as her fingers ran over his chest to his stomach.  Draco pulled back when he had to breath, but she just plunged back in as soon as he caught his breath.

_What am I doing?_  He thought, but even if his mind was thinking one thing – his body was thinking another.  Though, his body did appreciate the trail of her fingers.  

"Draco?"  Someone said, but Draco was too busy snogging Pansy to wonder who said it.  Though, in the back of his mind, something told him to stop kissing her.  He opened his eyes while continuing to snog her – and his heart sank to his stomach.

Harry was standing in front of them with conflicting emotions running across his face.  Draco broke the kiss quickly – he didn't hear Pansy's growl of frustration - and tried to catch his breath.  He reached out a hand to touch Harry's shoulder – but Harry stepped back quickly as if Draco's hand would burn him.  Before Draco had time to do anything, Harry ran away in the direction of his room.

Pansy, not noticing anything out of the ordinary, tried to kiss him again (her fingers were already making themselves at home under his shirt) when he turned his face to the side.  He ignored her dumbfounded expression, and pushed her off of his lap entirely.  The expression on Harry's face was imprinted in his mind – and with the potion still running through Harry's system – he knew anything was possible.  He ignored her indignant cry, and stood up shakily.

"Parkinson, I have to go, but I'll see you in the morning."  He said as he straightened his robes.  He hurriedly walked out.

Pansy watched as Draco fumbled on his way to his room.  Her brows furrowed together when she watched him, and she looked around quickly to see who might be watching.  Thankfully, no one was there in the common room at the moment to see the embarrassing situation, and she sank back into the couch.  But she smiled when she realized something.  Smiling cruelly at the thought, she said to herself _I have you back, Draco Malfoy, and this time, you're not getting away.  When we get out of school, everyone say hello to Mrs. Pansy Malfoy.  _

She had never felt so smart.  

*** 

Harry looked down the hallway and wondered if this was the corner that if you went around it would lead you to the Slytherin common room.  Nervously, Harry looked behind him before his eyes caught hold of the one and only flickering torchlight.  He squinted and adjusted his glasses as he looked down the hall – and his heart surged with relief as he saw the common room entrance.  Walking quickly (and not looking back), he completely passed the Circe painting.  

He didn't notice her eyes on him as he went past, or the intensity of her observation.  As he walked to the common room entrance, he didn't see her write in a diary with fancy penmanship.  In fact, Harry didn't see her spiteful smile.

He also didn't see what she wrote.  The words, 'It works' were not to be seen by anyone.

Harry said the password hurriedly and slipped in the common room.  For some reason he couldn't quite place his finger on, it never felt like home.  Draco's room felt like home – but the Slytherin common room had never felt like it.  Harry tossed the thought out of his mind as he glanced around the room.  He was headed up to Draco's room, but he was distracted by a noise to his right.

Turning his head around to see what it was – Harry stopped in his tracks. 

Draco and Pansy… were kissing.  Harry had seen them kiss before – but not like this.  

Harry's first instinct was to run over and pull Pansy off of Draco, but, when Harry looked more closely, Draco seemed to enjoy it.  In fact, when they broke the kiss - Harry could feel himself trembling, and he suddenly felt so cold and alone.  

"Draco?"  Harry asked quietly, and before he had time to comprehend what he just did, Draco was looking at him_, breathless_.  Harry gulped, and when Draco extended his hand – Harry ran.  

He pushed passed several students descending down the stairs and ran blindly up it.  Almost tripping at the last one, he saw Draco's door ahead, and ran straight to it.  

But it was locked.  

Licking his lips, Harry tried to think of somewhere else to go, but then, he realized, he didn't know anywhere else to go.  If he went back downstairs, Draco would be sure to stop him.  If he went into another room, others would be sure to hurt him.  He couldn't trust anyone more than Draco.

So, Harry waited.

***

When Draco found Harry leaning against his door, he slowed down to a stop.  Harry insisted to look at the ground, even if Draco was sure Harry knew he was there.  Clearing his throat experimentally, he made sure his eyes kept in contact with Harry's as the boy looked up.

"Move, so I can unlock the door." Draco commanded softly, and Harry shuffled to the side, dropping his gaze.  Draco brushed passed the Gryffindor and unlocked the door with a small practically inaudible click.   

He moved aside, and Harry walked past him without a word.  Draco watched from the doorframe as Harry went soundlessly to his cot, and curled up in a small ball, unable to face Draco even if Harry didn't do anything.

Draco watched Harry quietly.  He observed the tensed body on the smaller bed, and he sighed hopelessly.  Draco knew that he should talk to Harry about it; whatever it was.  If it was the kiss, or the way he had looked at the Gryffindor, Draco didn't know.  

But a thought crossed his mind_.  Why do you even care?  Remember who that is?  Harry-Sodding-Potter?  Enemy since first year?  Rivals since who knew how long?  Do you remember that, Draco?_  Feeling the emotion start to build up, Draco's gaze became a glare.  _That's right.  You don't care.  You don't have to care – because you were doing what couples do.  You were kissing your girlfriend.  The girl who everyone thinks you will marry._

Draco ignored the last stray thought now and made his way to the bathroom without a word.  Once he was inside, he stared at himself in the mirror and frowned.  

"What were you doing with her anyway?" he whispered to the reflection.  He looked into his own gray eyes and sighed at the unanswerable question.  He started to get ready for bed, pushing thoughts of her out of his mind.  He could still remember her distinct fragrance and taste – but as he deemed it, it was nothing exceptional.  Where was the spark he wanted to feel?  He didn't even understand her nowadays anyway.

"I want to feel something."  He whispered his reflection.  When the silence carried on, he smiled unnaturally and ran wet hands through his hair.  

Then his thoughts drifted to the boy on the opposite end of the bathroom door.  He wondered if Harry was still in a curled up ball on his makeshift bed.  Maybe the Gryffindor was crying.  Perhaps he was asleep.  Who knew?  Who cared?  He certainly didn't.  That's probably the last thing he did.  _He didn't care._

He was startled out of his thoughts when he heard a loud *thunk* coming from outside the bathroom.  He frowned instantly when he realized his hand was on the doorknob faster than he thought was possible.  He jerked it back instantly.  _You don't care, remember?_

He waited moments before he opened the door, carefully and slowly.  Instead of looking in Harry's direction, he looked at the wall opposite of the boy.  He didn't notice what Harry was doing, and he did not care as he pulled back the covers and laid his head on the pillow – looking skyward.

_You do not care._  Draco fidgeted.  What if Harry wanted to sleep on his bed tonight?  Draco wouldn't let him, of course.  Just like he didn't let him the other nights.  But you do not care.  He forced himself to let his eyes remain on the ceiling instead of looking over to see what Harry was doing.  

Then, startled, he realized something.  Tonight was his last night with Harry.  Tomorrow, Harry was eleven, and Harry would eventually have to stay in the Gryffindor tower.  It made perfect sense now that Draco thought about it – Harry was eleven when he entered Hogwarts, and since Harry was now eleven, he would have to go back.  

You do not care.  Draco bit his bottom lip and before he drawled out into the near-silence, "Turn off the light."

He could feel the Gryffindor was somewhere on the floor.  You do not care.  He shifted a bit on the bed before he said, "Go to sleep."

"I'm… not tired."  Came the answer, and Draco would have replied if his curiosity didn't get the better of him.  He shifted a bit on the bed until he was facing Harry, and what caught his eyes surprised him.

Harry was leaning against the cot behind him, flipping through a large book.  It was leather bound, and from where Draco was lying down, he could see the pictures wave animatedly at the boy who was looking at them.  Draco looked to the side where Harry's trunk was wide open – and that was what probably caused the _thunk_ earlier.

But you do not care, remember, Draco? 

"What are you doing?" He asked, pushing away the reminder.  He could see Harry look up at him cautiously before looking away just as quickly.  When Harry didn't reply right away, Draco didn't persist.  If Harry wasn't going to bring up the Pansy thing, then neither would Draco.  He didn't have to anyway, because he didn't care how Harry felt.

They remained in silence for a while before Harry flipped another page.  Harry looked at the page for a long time; which made Draco ultimately curious.  Draco would never admit his heart almost skipped a beat when Harry spoke.

"Who are these people, Draco?"  Harry whispered.  The Gryffindor's gaze remained passive as his eyes lingered on the particular page.  With deliberate leisureliness, Harry's eyes locked themselves with Draco's.

"Bring it up here, I can't see it from where I am."  Draco stated calmly as he watched the Gryffindor stand up and walk slowly to him.  Harry turned around before he reached Draco's bed and sat down, his back leaning against the metal frame of Draco's bed.  

Harry moved the book to his right and looked up at Draco's face.  The Slytherin's eyes riveted to the picture secured in the book and inched closer to get a better look.  He was given a sight he didn't get to see often.  Before him was unmistakably Lily and James Potter, holding a baby Harry in their arms. 

So this is what you looked like before you got that scar, Draco thought to himself and leaned forward.  He let his arm rest on Harry's shoulder gently as his hand traced Harry's picture's face. 

"That's you."  He stated, before his finger traveled to Lily Potter's face, "And that's your mother."  His voice softened, "And that's your father."  As he let his hand trail across the picture, he studied each person silently.  Harry looked so much like his father, but his mother's eyes reflected his soul.  

"Where are you?"  Harry asked quietly, leaning his face against Draco's arm.

But you don't care. 

"It doesn't matter."  Draco stated and pulled his arm back.  He could feel the candle start to bother his eyes, so he blew it.  He could feel Harry turn another page before him, and he barely recognized Harry shifting below him.  

"Draco?"

"Harry?"  Came Draco's reply without irritation.  When he opened his eyes, Harry was kneeling beside the bed, looking at him.  They didn't speak at first, but looked at each other.  

"Can I sleep in your bed tonight?"  Came the inevitable question.  Draco should have known it was coming, but he just remained expressionless.  He was surprised to hear that Harry had more to say.  

"Sometimes…" Harry explained in a whisper, "I can feel when I'm going to need you near me."  Draco was startled by the revelation of the ten-year-old, but he waited until Harry was done.  "And I feel it tonight.  Can I sleep in your bed?"

Say no, because you don't care.  Remember?  

"Just tonight, and tonight will be the last time."  Draco stated as resolutely as he could, and made room for Harry to lie down.  It didn't matter anyway – it would be the last time.  Ever.  

Harry put the book carefully in his trunk, shut the lid, and blew out the candle.  Draco could see a figure moving towards him, before he felt the bed shift with the added weight.  Draco kept his eyes open as the darkness overwhelmed them both.

There was silence.  

"Draco?"

Draco closed his eyes at Harry's voice, and turned around to face the ceiling.  He whispered back quietly, "What?"

"It won't come again.  I promise."  Harry whispered, and shifted.

_You don't care, Draco._

"What won't come?"  Draco asked, honestly curious.  He could feel sleep start to come and surround him, but he held on as long as he could.  

"The dream of your mother.  It won't come again…" The Gryffindor trailed off and Draco could feel blankets being pulled up.  He remained silent for a moment before he replied unsurely.

"How do you know?"  He whispered.

"Trust me."  Harry whispered, and Draco could tell it was closely followed by sleep.  

_You don't care._

Draco inhaled gently, and absently clenched his fingers together for an unexplainable reason.  When Draco finally fell asleep, he barely noticed that Harry's hand was holding his thumb, and he barely noticed the words on Harry's lips.

_Trust me.  _

-----TBC-----


End file.
